Sleeping Awake
by Oscarfudgie
Summary: A DracoGinny fic, mainly fluff at the moment, angst later. Draco has a nightmare about Ginny but is it really a dream or the trigger of change for them both?
1. Just a dream?

Title: A dream?  
Note: This is my first Harry potter fic so be gentle and constructive criticism is always welcome! I like Malfoy/ Ginny and this is my stand alone attempt. It has hints of Hermoine/Ron too.

I own nothing to do with Harry Potter except this ficlet but I wish I did!

* * *

"So any plans for the summer Harry before you come to ours or is that a stupid question?"

Harry smiled at Ginny, Ron's little sister who wasn't so little anymore. She was fifteen and was now as tall as Ron and much more confident and verbally adept than him. When they fought which was often in either school or at the burrow now the pivotal annoyances of Fred and George had moved out it would always end with Ginny getting the last word which was usually scathing and amusing and Ron would leave in a huff and sulk. It was awkward to watch especially when he had to repress laughter at Ginny's witty and often truthful remarks and then Harry was the unsuspecting target of Ron's wrath.

"Not so much stupid but optimistic which is something I haven't felt in relation to the Dursleys..ever."

"Oh well I'll write to you and keep you up to speed in what I've decided is going to be a series of retellings of the misadventures of Ron Weasley which should keep you cheerful, because no matter how bad you think things are going, think how they must be being Ron Weasley."

A slight smile crept across Harry's face but he didn't grin for fear Ron was somehow around the corner listening to his best friend betray him for his little sister.

"That is my best mate you're talking about remember."

If Ron really was listening with some sort of extendable ears he hoped his last remark would redeem him somewhat.

"That's true but it only makes you more of an enigma and much more admirable because of it."

"Come on he's still your brother who risked his neck to save you from Tom Riddle."

Ginny's face became unreadable and she was silent for a moment and Harry regretted bringing up unwanted memories but a moment later and she was smiling again.

"I didn't say I didn't love him I just mean if he wasn't my brother I'd have a hard time putting up with him."

This banter continued as they walked from the great hall up to the common room to pack for the holidays as they were leaving the next day.

Draco Malfoy and his cronies incepted them on the way.

"Well well well if isn't scarhead and another one of those Weasleys you keep around like pets, filthy really you should probably get a cat they're cleaner and don't answer back."

"Watch your mouth Malfoy."

Harry's hands had turned into fists but Ginny held on to one to signal that he wasn't worth it.

Ginny smiled at Malfoy in mock sweetness.

"You should really heed your own advice, I mean just because you can't make real friends it doesn't make it less pathetic to have your bodyguards trail you everywhere like dogs. Are you paying Crabbe and Doyle much because you really should if they have to hear you go and on all day."

Malfoy glared at her and raised his fist slightly with a menacing look in his eyes.

Ginny just raised a challenging eyebrow.

"Now really are you that insecure you have to hit a girl? Maybe you should get Crabbe or Goyle to do it and then fed them a little treat."

Crabbe and Goyle as if perfectly on cue made a low rumbling response that sounded appropriately like a growl.

"Watch your back Weasley one word from my father and you could be out on the streets."

Ginny's voice was calm and cold.

"You might be afraid of your father but we're not."

Malfoy moved to get his wand but Filch was on the war path and interrupted them.

"Nice little meeting we're having are we? Well do it somewhere other than in the middle of the busy corridor! Some of us have jobs to do and places to be even if your all planning your vacations, now get moving!

Malfoy did as he was told but his glare didn't leave Ginny's until he had to physically turn to keep eye contact and he moved his hand to point to himself, then to his eyes and then to indicate her in an intimidating gesture that just got a girly wave from her in return.

She turned back to Harry and kept walking and he followed her in admiration and sheer awe of the change that took place in her that was seemingly unnoticed before.

"Some boys really need to grow up."

* * *

"Dad we're late already I have to get my books and new robes before I meet Neil at midday!"

"Alright keep your hair on, you can make Neil wait a while after all you're a Malfoy."

Marcus Malfoy rolled his eyes at his father's arrogance but said nothing, taking satisfaction in that if his mother was within earshot he would have got a humbling clip around the ear.

Draco Malfoy was nowhere as unbearable as his grandfather Lucius but that's because after being disinherited they never spoke and having Ginny Weasley as a wife cut a man down to size if he needed it.

Marcus smirked.

"So granddad isn't coming over for Christmas then?"

Draco scoffed.

"If you mean _my_ father than that's a definite no and if you mean Arthur Weasley then that's an _absolute_ no and don't ask again you that already."

Ginny was standing in the hallway with her arms crossed.

"Don't worry Marcus we're going to see my family on boxing day aren't we Draco darling?"

Draco said nothing as Ginny strolled over to him and planted a kiss on his cheek, it wasn't comforting it was a silent warning.

"Me and your father don't get along, I know I was a prat when I was younger but still, I'm his boss now and it's not like anyone else in your damn family gives me a chance."

Ginny smiled pitifully.

"Well they have the rest of their lives to slowly and somewhat painfully fall in love with you like I did."

Marcus laughed.

"Fine I'm going but not for long."

"For the last eleven years you've made an array of excuses some so creative they even impressed me."

Marcus laughed harder.

"Yeah mum remember last year where he pretended Lucius had somehow telepathy connected with him to say that he was in trouble anddad left just after lunch for the hospital? That was classic."

Ginny gave Marcus a wink.

"It didn't improve Weasley-Malfoy communications either when myfather went up to Lucius in the street and asked about his heart."

"Another reason I shouldn't go."

"Another thing you have to make up for you mean."

Marcus sighed at how immature his parents could still be.

"I know it's hard for you to stop arguing for five seconds but I have somehow to be."

Ginny came up to him and planted a sloppy kiss on his cheek to with he moaned in disgust.

"I'm sorry your old parents are holding back your social life."

Draco stood up and got his coat.

"Who are you calling old? I'm only just thirty one."

Ginny rolled her eyes and led Marcus out of the house while Draco got his wallet.

"Darling you know that the family wants to see you even if relations between your dad and grandad are..strained."

"Yeah gran always lets me know that.whether it's squeezing me to death or trying to drown me in kisses."

"Well there are worst ways to die."

She ruffled his hair in an overly affection gesture that Marcus wished she'd grow out of, especially now he was starting Hogwarts.

Draco hadn't even got a foot out of the door before Ginny ambushed him.

"So boxing day is a go ahead?"

"Look you and Marcus go you're not public enemy number one and I'll stay home and catch up on paperwork."

Ginny raised a challenging eyebrow, one he had known for years.

"Fine but don't expect a cooked dinner from now on and -"

She rubbed her hand gently up his arm and whispered out of Marcus'ear shot:

"-And certain other privileges will also be revoked."

Draco sighed.

"Whatever, when did you get all the power, aMalfoy at the mercy of a Weasley?"

When they were younger a sentence like that would have been full of venom but now it was more of a passive observation or a teasing line. After marrying Ginny and the subsequent fights with his father he realised being a Malfoy wasn't something to be proud of but he still had confidence in himself that Ginny gave him and pride in his son his own father never had and as his son was a Malfoy by blood he never let him forget that because of this a Malfoy was the best of the best regardless of his own parents.

"I always had the power, marriage just shattered the illusion I didn't and after eleven years I thought you'd catch on."

He smiled at her and gave her a quick kiss.

"Cya later.

"Love you and don't let Marcus spent all day in the sweet shop."

"I'll try but he is his mother's son."

"Keep pushing Malfoy and see what happens."

"I'm not scared of you Weasley."

She laughed and pushed him playfully down the driveway.

* * *

Malfoy woke up in the early hours in the Slytherin boys dorm room.

He was sweating and the sheets stuck to his body as he fought them off and sat up. The dream was completely disturbing, it was horrible now but while he was in it he was happy, a happiness he had never felt in real life but he shook it off and mentally noted what a whipped loser his future self was in his dream.

There was no way a woman especially Ginny would push him around.

_Another nightmare like that and I'll need to start being medicated._

He laughed it off in the slytherin common room the next day with his mates but in the back of his mind an irrational fear was forming and for the first time ever he was scared to go to sleep at the end of the day.

Ginny Weasley his dream wife may be waiting which was worse than a hundred angry dementors. The happiness felt in dreams like that no matter how fantasy as well as absurd made the feelings he had in real life substandard and if he had another dream like the last one he wasn't sure he'd want to wake up.

Later that morning when they were all waiting for the Hogwarts express and Malfoy passed Ginny, he didn't say anything he just tried not to look at her.

Ginny noticed and was perplexed for a reason he wouldn't bother to torment a Weasley if he could but assumed he may have taken the high road or at least a high road for Draco and was ignoring them. It was a hope she didn't dare believe but she felt stupid for wanting him to confront her so they could get down to round two. Fighting with Draco was even more fun than fighting with her brother but she tried to pretend noticing him in the first placewasn't perculiar.

You couldn't hate someone and want the attention of that same person, it was unnatural and she made a mental note to herself as she climbed on the train that as soon as she got home she'd get her head examined.

As she entered the compartment with Harry, hermoine and Ron in she tried to catch on to the heated discussion they were having.

"Just because Samson and Nina are fighting doesn't mean you have a hope in hell with her Ronald Weasley."

Ron glared at Hermoine.

"Oh really? What book did you learn that from? Romance for dummies? It's not like you have any real experience."

Hermoine laughed.

"I've had more than you and besides everyone knows the real love stories are the ones where the man and woman hate each other first and grow to love each other."

Harry made an effort to back up Ron.

"I know my parents fell in love that way but it's not exactly very usual."

Hermoine rolled her eyes and looked to Ginny for help.

"Come on, you boys act like you haven't heard of Pride and Predjudice."

Blank stares from Harry and Ron drew gasps from the girls.

"The most romantic muggle story ever?"

The girls shook their heads as the train began moving and Ron and Hermoine continued to argue.

Ginny laughed and whispered in Harry's ear.

"Hermoine should take a look in the mirror, if she and Ron come to blows anymore this year people will start to think they are together and if they fight anymore next year I'm going to tell them to snog already and get it over with."

Harry laughed out loud and both Hermoine and Ron gave them quizzical stares.

Another year at Hogwarts was over but Ginny began to feel something was beginning..

* * *

Reviews are very much appreciated! 


	2. Fire and Ice

A/N This is the second chapter, it was supposed to be a one parter but I have enjoyed writing Draco and Ginny so much I decided to continue. I hope they are in character and I'm not sure where I'm going with it yet so bear with me!

**deppforever07:** Sorry to have confused you I should have written it more clearly, it is implied that in the future Draco works at the ministry above Mr. Weasley. The hospital part was in relation to the joke about Draco's excuses for getting out of dinner by saying his father is in trouble and is in hospital so he had to leave to visit him. Hope that helps!

Onwards!

* * *

Ron came up the stairs into Ginny's bedroom in the morning with a pleased look on his face.

"You have a letter from Dean."

Ginny sat up and tried to focus on Ron who was an orange blur with his red hair and orange woollen jersey his mother had only been to pleased to make. She was not used to the intrusion into her bedroom which was alone at the top of the house away from the chaos of her brothers' below although now it was just her and Ron.

"Did you read my mail?"

Ron scoffed.

"Don't be stupid I have better things to do than read your love letters."

Ginny gave him a smug smirk.

"You mean you're scared I'd tell mum and you'd get in trouble."

"See now here is where you should be nice to me because I might just accidentally drop it in the fire if you distract me like you are now."

Ginny pushed herself out of bedroom and wrestled Ron for the letter. Ron laughed at his sister's fervent attempts to overpower him and so he threw the letter on the bed and went back downstairs knowing it was too early in the morning for a chinese burn on the wrists if he wasn't careful.

Ginny opened it eagerly but was disappointed with it's contents and she wasn't sure why because it should be the kind of letter any teenage girl would want.

_I miss you so much and I wish your mother wasn't so strict so I could come and see you but I guess I'll have to wait and hope to see you in Diagon Alley before school starts. I know we're not officially dating but I can't get you out of my head and so I think we should do it. You and me what do you say?_

_Love Dean _

It wasn't exactly Shakespeare but she didn't expect it to be and she knew lots of her friends had their eye on Dean so she should feel lucky.

But she didn't.

She felt trapped.

Ginny liked Dean but not enough to be his girlfriend, she liked the attention as any girl would but she didn't need someone who was going to follow her around and agree with everything she said like Dean did.

She wanted friction, she was fifteen but in her head she felt older. Maybe it was because she was more mature than her brother but her experience in the chamber of secrets had aged her somehow. Although on the outside she portrayed innocence, on the inside she needed more. She didn't need sex exactly, it wasn't about getting further than her mates, it was about passion. Not necessarily a physical friction but the kind where two personalities clash and sparks fly. She wanted her boyfriend to infuriate and simultaneously amuse her, she wanted to shout at him until she was red in the face and then collapse into him and kiss him until she couldn't breath.

She never told anyone any of this though, because not only did she think it was abnormal (she didn't see her friend Becky and boyfriend Jay ever even raise their voices to each other) she just never truly believed she'd find it. You couldn't ask someone to annoy you to the point of seduction, it had to be there already, it wasan irrational hope she kept.

She knew she had grown up when her crush on golden boy Harry Potter ended last year when she realised he was too good to be good with her and that's when her tastes changed.

Ginny was late for breakfast as usual so she came down in her pyjamas.

Ron laughed out loud at the pattern of roses and kittens on her flannel nightwear.

Ginny just glared and sat down.

"So what did lover boy have to say? Did he write any sonnets for you?"

Ron made a kissing noise and Ginny rolled her eyes, she was used to acting the older sibling.

Arthur Weasley lowered his paper.

"Have you been getting letters from a boy poppet?"

Ron laughed harder.

"Oh yes Ginny has her admirers but if you ask me I think they should be sent to St Mungos, they're clearly deranged."

"No one is asking your opinion Ronald."

His mother's curt voice cut him off.

"It's nice you've got a boyfriend dear."

Arthur almost choked on his toast.

"He's not your boyfriend is he? Because you're only fifteen!"

"No daddy he's just a friend."

Ron had to decide whether to continue sabotaging his sister or not but considering his own fruitless love life and lack of things to do he didn't see why he shouldn't.

"Ginny do you snog all your friends then?"

Molly Weasley looked quite faint but regained her composure, she didn't like the idea of her only little girl growing up but she couldn't stop it either, in her case ignorance on such matters was bliss.

"Ronald be quiet or leave the table."

Arthur just pretended he hadn't heard the last comment, Ginny however wasn't about to let it go.

"Just because Ron is the only seventeen year old who hasn't been kissed! Everyone knows you're dying to get it on with Hermoine so why not actually stop being a coward and do it!"

Arthur Weasley stood up.

"Stop it both of you! I did not raisevindictive children like this, I know it's hard adjusting to having so few people in the house but continue behaviour like this and you'll both be out in the potting shed!"

He looked thoroughly disappointed in them both and left the table, for once their mother was the quiet one feeling there was nothing to add and quite surprised at her usually passive husband's outburst.

"Now apologize to each other and start your chores."

Ronald gave her a look that could kill and Ginny realising she had a said too much sincerely apologized but Ron left saying nothing.

The rest of the week was incredibly silent with Ron not talking to Ginny and Ginny had given up trying. Their father was at work and their mother had stayed out of their silliness and enjoyed the peace and quiet.

_Dean_

_I think you're an excellent guy and a great friend but I'm just not ready to have a boyfriend and besides Leela and Rachelle have been after you for a year and I wouldn't want to ruin our friendships by taking you instead. Don't be mad._

_Mates always_

_Ginny_

She gave the letter to their family owl and watched as it took off into the night sky hoping what she had said wasn't too clichéd or condescending. She was used to being talked to like she was five in her house and she knew how frustrating it could be.

Towards the end of the holidays and Ginny got an owl from Hermoine saying that Pavati and PadmaPatil were having a birthday party two days later and that both herself and Ron were invited.

_Padma would have sent you the invite herself but after the Yule Ball her and Ron aren't on the best of terms. Stupid really but she always did have her head in the clouds right? Anyone who loves divination has to be a little detached from reality but not so much as Luna! Speaking of Luna apparently she's coming because she likes Neville! Can you believe it? What a pair they'd make! Anyway since Ronald seems to have an aversion to sending his friends owls tell him I said hi and I have enclosed what you asked for. By the way the party atthePatil'sseems to be very muggle like, lots of people, music and most likely alcohol so check with your parents and you can stay at mine if it helps. I know we're not exactly the party girl types but I'm sick of trying to write to Ron and you all, it's easier if I just see you there and we can make our own fun._

_Owl me_

_Hermoine. _

Ginny gingerly entered Ron's room in case she got a book thrown at her again but he had his back turned and didn't see her come in.

"We got a letter from Hermoine."

He made no reply.

"How long is this going to continue? I said I was sorry."

Ron sighed, he knew she was sorry but the problem was his stupid pride got in the way, it was because she voiced his major insecurity it made it real and now he felt like a loser.

"You're not sorry you meant what you said."

Ginny sat on his bed.

"If you mean do I think you like Hermoine than I wont deny I believe it's true but if it helps I think she likes you back."

Ron said nothing, strangely elated and annoyed at the same time.

"It's none of your business anyway."

"Yeah well neither is my situation with Dean but you made it your business and not to mention our parents'!"

He wasn't going to apologize for that anytime soon so she resorted to Plan B.

"Here."

She slipped a signed autograph of Victor Krum on to his lap followed by a big poster of him also signed. Shehad asked Hermoinein her last letter to get them for her.

Ron's interest in Victor Krum died the day Victor's interest in Hermoine rose but he appreciated the effort.

"Thanks."

"No problem."

"So what does the letter say?"

"Padma and Pavatiarehaving a birthday party and Hermoine wants us to go."

"Aren't you a bit young?"

Ginny refrained from beginning another fight and so held her tongue.

Ron sighed.

"Alright I 'spose I'll have to go and keep an eye on you then, mum wont let you go alone."

Ginny smiled and gave him a quick hug.

"I'll go ask mum then."

Two days later and Ginny, Ron and Hermoine were standing outside the Patil's large country estate. The music was blaring out of the house and they all stood awkwardly in the doorway. Harry was trapped at the Dursley's and Ginny could tell both Ron and Hermoine weren't enjoying being left together without him.

Ginny made an effort to progress into the house:

"So shall we go in or hang outside all night?"

Ron nodded.

"Okay lets go."

No one moved and Hermoine swallowed anxiously.

"We don't have to go, we could go somewhere else I mean we're not exactly cut out for small talk at least I'm not and I'm sure people still see me as the know-it-all book nerd."

Ron laughed.

"But you stillare a know-it-all book nerd."

Hermoine glared.

"Well at least the person who invited me doesn't resent me for making her Yule Ball experience about as exciting as watching paint dry."

Ron was silent and Hermoine sighed.

"Sorry that just slipped out I just meant we're not exactly social butterflies are we?"

Ginny rolled her eyes.

"Well practice makes perfect, no time like the present, any other clichés needed to persuade you up the stairs?"

Hermoine had a resolved look on her face.

"I have battled death and danger more than once, attending a teenage birthday should be child's play."

She strode confidently up the stairs into the crowds of people drinking and dancing, with Ron and Ginny right behind her.

Ginny wasn't ashamed to be intimidated, she could be feisty but she was also shy around people she didn't know and at a party full of seventeen year olds she really felt her age even though she looked much older.

Pavati came up to them with a cider in her hands.

"Glad you could all make it, drinks are on the right, toilets on the left and have fun! Oh and leaveour presents on the back table."

Pavati sauntered over to someone else and left them to wander to the present table. Ron and Hermoine were talking with Seamus so Ginny went and stood with Michelle the only other person her age.

"Is Dean here?"

Michelle gave her a sceptical look.

"No he's ill but I reckon he's too embarrassed and love sick to show his face after you rejected him."

Ginny sighed.

"It's not my fault I'm not attracted to him."

"I know I'm attracted to weird guys too."

"Like who?"

"Me and Katie have a crush on Draco Malfoy, the bad boy thing still works for him."

Ginny scoffed.

"You're right that is weird, he's the last guy I'd like."

She passed her something distinctly alcoholic and Ginny coughed as it burned down her throat.

Michelle laughed.

"It's good for you don't worry."

Ginny giggled.

"I doubt my liver will agree with you."

"I didn't say it would do your body any good but you and Hermoine need to loosen up after all the drama you go through."

Ginny couldn't help but agree and took another gulp.

"Draco is an idiot but deep inside it's every girl's fantasy to get a hot bad boy and tame him isn't it. We all know he can't be rotten to the core and it's exciting thinking about finding the good don't you think?"

"If there is any to be found."

"Besides lust has no morals, I'd let him do anything he wanted with me even if he is a jerk."

Ginny rolled her eyes as she felt any tension or insecurity drain from her body and her mind was peacefully blank.

Ron marched over to her.

"You're not supposed to be drinking."

Ginny groaned.

"Hermoine is."

"Hermoine isn't my little sister."

"She's enjoying herself with Seamus though don't you think?"

Ron scowled at Seamus leaning into a giggling Hermoine.

"So? I don't want to get in trouble if you end up puking all the way home."

"Please just for once relax and stop bossing me about."

Ron shifted uncomfortably for a moment.

"Fine but more than two and I'll tell mum butterbeer wasn't exactly your beverage of choice."

"Fine, have one yourself while your at it."

She passed him a cocktail that was giving off white smoke like some concoction out of potions class but Ron took it anyway, refusing to be the only sensible one there.

* * *

The floor seemed to move faster under her feet than she would have liked so Ginny sat down after an hour with a happy smile permanently on her face. Michelle gave her a knowing look and passed her a water which she drunk and felt things begin to clear.

Ron and Ginny were both sitting on the coach together with Hermoine's head resting on his lap and he was unconsciously stroking her. Ginny giggled and knew this would be good ammo later down the line if she ever required it.

She was scanning the crowds when she saw him, Michelle and apparently a lot of other observant girls had been eying him a lot longer than her.

Dracowas leaning confidently against the fireplace engaged in animated conversation with three slytherin girls that were swaying dangerously against each other. His smug smile made her want to vomit, or maybe she just wanted to vomit anyway.

Her stomach was stirring sickeningly whenever she looked at him and she wasn't sure if it was repulsion or attraction. She was drunk after all so it could have been both.

_You're drunk._

She giggled at the idea, she always assumed any rebellious ideas like smoking, drinking, sex or swearing would be experimented with on her wedding night and any time after that when she was out of her mother's protective grasp.

Ron was looking decidedly worse for wear and Hermoine was now sprawled awkwardly across the sofa sleeping.

Ginny put Ron's hand over her shoulder and in some great feat of strength and surprising co-ordination she half carried him to the toilet while every so often bumping him into partiers and inanimate objects accidently. She knew he'd feel it in the morning but right now he was blissfully ignorant.

"Gin you know you're my sister."

He was squinting and slurring up at her with a silly expression on his face.

She giggled.

"The red hair did tend to give me that idea."

"No I mean you're my best sister."

"I'm your only sister unless mum has some secret love child somewhere out there."

They both burst out laughing at the prospect that if they were sober would have been more than horrifying.

"No I mean I and you, we are good and I'm glad."

Ginny smiled and gave her brother a motherly kiss on the head.

"Right back at ya."

She left him in the toilet to puke while she guarded the door.

Draco Malfoy strode around the corner obviously with the same sort of idea.

"What are you doing Weasley? Little boyfriend Dean in there is he?"

He smiled smugly but for an alarming moment she found it quite charming and the squirming in her stomach told her she found it something more than that but what she wasn't sure.

"Me and Dean aren't together."

She wasn't sure why she felt the need to justify his teasing with an answer but she did.

Draco looked almost pleased at that fact and she knew he'd take pleasure knowing her and Dean weren't on good terms.

She cocked her head slightly and gave him her best seductive smile.

"Why? Do you want to try and win me?"

He laughed but walked away.

Ginny frowned, she was hoping for some sort of "I'd rather swallow slugs" reaction but not complete defeat.

She was both happy that she found a way to beat him and disturbed that he gave up.

* * *

Draco paced over to the drinks table and took a shot of fire brew, the most potent wizarding liquor that he had built up enough of an immunity to that it wouldn't knock him out straight away.

Living with Lucius Malfoy required strong drinks over long periods of time to stay sane.

No one else had touched it, he wasn't surprised, nor was he when he drew admirable gazes from half the females at the party when he gulped it down.

Girls were so easy to impress and seduce it bored him. He almost resented them for not giving him a bit of a challenge. Having the Malfoy name meant getting laid without effort but because of that he just wasn't interested.

If he slept with one of them then they'd want commitment, and if he slept with them straight away in his eyes they weren't worth dating anyway.

He only bothered to flex his romantic muscles to show off to his mates even though that was never exactly difficult.

He always felt like he had an audience to entertain or something to prove to somebody that didn't exist.

His father was the opposite, there was nothing Draco could do, no spell he could make to gain his father's love or make him proud. That's perhaps why he both respected and hated his dad.

He didn't blame his father, he had struggled for years but came to terms with the fact that Lucius simply couldn't love, it was as though he was physically incapable. As if that part of his brain had shut down or never existed, his heart was solely the organ to pump blood around his body and nothing more.

Draco wondered about Lucius as a child and if he was like him but doubted it. Lucius was unfeeling with Narcissa and everyone else. Draco pitied him because although Draco wasn't the nicest of guys he loved his mother, purely and deeply and it wasn't tainted or twisted like it was with his father and everyone else.

Everyone had an agenda and everyone who liked him wasn't worth his time in his eyes. He knew people only liked him for his money and status and he could understand. He didn't believe he could be loved for himself and so scared was he of trying that he hid the real Draco under a nasty exterior and over time began to resent and forget the 'real' Draco was ever there in the first place. The real Draco had now become a mix of the good he concealed and had as an infant and the bad he assimilated from his father and as a device to survive.

Draco didn't know who he was or what he wanted. He was a just a teenager after all with a little extra emotional baggage than most.

* * *

Ginny hated not feeling like herself, now she was almost certain she wasdrunk.She felt bold and invinsible. She wanted to snog Draco. She could admit it when she was drunk. It was purely lust and no brain functions, moral ideals or romantic illusions were associated with this need.

_Just go over there and do it stop being so repressive._

She had been telling herself that for the last twenty minutes as she had dragged Ron back to one of the large velvet sofas so he could sober up and rest with Hermoine.

She wanted it so much, she wanted _him_ so muchshe was prepared to screw the potentially humiliating consequences and relieve the tension that was boiling up inside ofher.

* * *

Draco left his cronies and staggering to an upstairs bedroom collapsed on it and closed his eyes so the ceiling would stop spinning. Luckily he felt relatively conscious and the only thing that suffered from his drinking was his co-ordination or anyone that he picked on. He never passed out, herarely threw up, he didn't get hangovers and the only affect these days was that he lost what few inhibitions he had left and secretly he could feel the old Draco rising to the surface.

Ginny saw him leave and felt this was it. The golden opportunity to snog her enemy and alienate all her friends in one fowl swoop if they ever found out.

She got up and followed him.

She found him lying on a large four poster bed. The room was exquisite.

Draco didn't move.

"Just get it over with."

Ginny looked startled.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Hex me already."

"I didn't come to hex you."

Though now he mentioned it this would be the best time to do so.

"Then why are you here annoying me?"

She lay on the bed next to him and he shifted quickly as far over the other side of the king sized bed as he could.

Ginny smiled, she was the predator tonight.

She turned to him but he hadn't made any attempt to leave.

"I'm surprised you're not in here having your way with some drunk girl or maybe two."

"Yeah well I'm out of condoms."

Ginny laughed bitterly.

"Are you always such a crude, selfish asshole?"

Draco sighed.

"On my good days."

"Well I want you to be one right now."

Draco sat up.

"What?"

"Kiss me."

She wished she had made it soundmorelike a demand than a request because she knew she'd kick herself in the morning at how desperate she probably seemed.

In the darkness she could almost see Draco's eyes double in size.

"I think I misheard you Weasley because the day a Malfoy voluntarily kisses a Weasley is the day hell freezes over."

He went to leave but she was already beside him and without being able to protest Ginny was kissing him.

He tried to think into what alternate dimension he had seemingly stepped. He was kissing the most inappropriate, annoying but pretty girl and the last person he would want to be here with especially after his disturbing dream.

He pulled away and they both took a second to catch their breath.

"Did you not hear my last sentence Weasley?"

"Since when do I listen to you Malfoy?"

He couldn't help but smile despite himself.

That was when something in him snapped, he wanted to hit her but ended up snogging her again. It was like his brain had been disconnected from his body.

* * *

It was burning. That was the best way for her to describe it if she had to try. It wasn't gentle like with Dean it was searing and surreal. It felt good, she could taste the liquor in his mouth and his tongue moved expertly in her mouth.

She moved her hands to link around his neck as he pushed her back on to the bed and moved on top of her.

His hands were everywhere and anywhere and she felt herself losing control, not only of the situation but of herself and her limits.

"Stop."

He didn't seem to hear her, it was like he was in his own world, completely detached from what was going on. He wouldn't look at her and the burning heat she felt was chilled by how unaffected he obviously was.

She pushed him hard off her and he rolled off the side of the bed with a thud.

She got up finally realising her mistake.

He stood up next to her and gave her a glare.

"What did you do that for Weasley?"

She slapped him hard across the face, the noise echoed in the silence and he welcomed the stinging sensation.

"For the record my name is Ginny and secondly, this will never happen again you understand?"

He rolled his eyes and gave a smug smile.

"Like I'd make the mistake of sinking so low again."

She smiled, a relieved smile that things hadn't changed and the fact she knew he wouldn't tell anybody about the kiss for the same reason she wouldn't.

She slapped him again for good measure on the other cheek and left. She should have felt stupid and mean for making a move on him and then blaming him when he reciporacated but she didn't, not yet anyway. She was just surprised it had happened at all although she shouldn't be shedidn't doubt Malfoy would sleep with someone he hated for his own gain.

* * *

"Alright to bed with both of you! Ginny you look exhausted dear and Ronald looks positively ill!"

Luckily Mrs Weasley was too busy with the latest news on Voldemort to notice they were still a bit intoxicated. Ginny had made Ron take her home immediately and not to Hermoine's. They dropped Hermoine home and came back to the burrow.

All the events of the night had given Ginny a longing for the familiarity of her own bed.

She felt so guilty, not just for kissing Draco but for liking it.

"Thanks Ron."

"For what?"

Ron was busy concentrating putting one foot in front of the other successfully to get to his own room.

"For being a good big brother."

"I have my moments don't I?"

She grinned.

"Don't let it go to your head."

She gave him a brief hug goodnight and went to her own room.

Going to the party and the secret of getting drunk that they kept from their parents had given them a unity and common ground they hadn't had since the twins left and she finally felt the dynamic of it just being the two of them had finally settled and was working out.

Of course she was also overcompensating for being the worst sister in the world for kissing the guy that so often made Ron's life hell.

_Never again._

Everyone was allowed one big mistake and this was her's. Ron had a series of small mistakes scattered throughout his time at Hogwarts but no one was perfect and she had a feeling hers was twice as bad and out of character as all of his put together.

Still she had time to make it up to everyone without them hopefully knowing what she had done wrong and most of all she had to make it up to the better half of herthat constantly berating her like she knew it would.

One thing was for sure though, neither good Ginny nor bad Ginny were ever drinking again.

* * *

I love reviews! 


	3. The little boy inside

A/N: Okay this chapter was hard to write to keep them in character when really you can't because Ginny and Draco would never be together in the book so I hope you think the character development is okay. By the way I have no idea the librarian's name in the books if she even had one so I made it up.

Thanks for the reviews it means a lot and hope everyone had a great christmas!

* * *

Draco couldn't stop thinking about her, it was driving him crazy. The first week after the party it was more the reoccurring feeling of shock and disgust of kissing Ginny even though the actual kiss was far from repulsive. Then as the weeks went on it almost became an obsession. Every girl he kissed after Ginny (and there were a good few) wouldn't live up to when he kissed her.

It wasn't the actual kiss that was amazing it was the mixture of exhilaration, lust, indifference and complete release he felt when he was doing so. He usually walked through life feeling numb to everything but not when they locked lips. No one else rubbed him up the wrong way enough andyetattracted him like she did and all the girls that threw themselves at him just reminded him of how different and much better Ginny was in comparison although he'd never truly admit it to himself.

She didn't take his bullshit and it was a new and refreshing change that kept his mind on her and it frustrated him because he didn't even like her. She was a Weasley after all.

* * *

Ginny came downstairs in her pyjamas for another day of idleness that she enjoyed so much during the holidays to find Harry stabbing at his cereal in the kitchen.

Ginny self consciously tried to flatten her hair that had frizzed up and expanded overnight. He had come over before anyone was awake and was obviously waiting for human activities to resume in the burrow.

"Morning Ginny."

"Hi Harry."

"Did you get taller?"

Harry noticed immediately the change in her, something was different. She had always been awkward in appearance to him but suddenly her entire posture and look was much more confident. She was taller he knew, but when she had changed and straightened her long red hair he observed that she wore make up that emphasised her natural beauty and just everything about her was older. He saw her in a new light, one his best mate would definitely not approve of. She wasn't Ron's little sister anymore. Ginny Weasley had really grown up over the summer.

Ginny sat down opposite him and poured herself a juice.

"I bet you're happy to be free of your jail cell for another year huh?"

"Definitely, everything is up from here. So how was the party at the Patils'?

Ginny felt herself blush slightly at the thought of it. She had tried to put Draco Malfoy and the kiss out of her mind but her stomach twinged anytime the topic came up. It was the best kiss she had ever had but with the worst person and she wondered if it was fate punishing her because she knew it could never happen again.

What Draco Malfoy and especially his family had done in the past was unforgivable and even if he was a good guy she doubted she'd have liked him anyway, she was just going through aphase every teenager went through, she was simply flirting with disaster.

"It was interesting, everyone looked really nice."

Harry smirked.

"So something happened then?"

"Sorry?"

"I know you Ginny, if you don't go into some passionate speech about how terrible or great it was then either something happened you're hiding or you didn't go."

Ginny smiled at the fact Harry Potter the boy she once loved from afar knew her almost as well as Ron did.

"Well I felt bad about Dean."

"He doesn't deserve you anyway."

Ginny tried to overlook a sentence like that that in the past would have sent her into day dreams of weddings and scrawling the name Ginny Potter over all her books. She cringed at how young she was then.

"Plus I had to escort Ron pre and post puking to and from the toilet."

"That does sound interesting, you should get a medal for that."

"All in a nights work."

"So was mouth breather Malfoy there?"

"Uh huh."

"Bet he was off spiking girl's drinks."

"Probably."

"So he didn't give you or Ron any grief?"

_Depends on your definition of grief I suppose._

"No he kept with his friends and we kept with ours."

"I don't know why they invited him it's ridiculous."

"Inter house co-operation or whatever."

"Is Ron upstairs?"

"Yeah he's still hugging his covers in bed."

"I'll go give him a wake up call shall I?"

"Only if it's loud and excessively annoying."

"Deal."

He grinned and left.

The rest of the holidays passed quickly in a blur with Harry and Hermoine staying with them towards the end and endless games of quidditch and wizard chess while Hermoine and Ginny watched on in amusement.

After the party Ginny couldn't stop feeling guilty about Draco. She thought of it everyday, she thought of him everyday and it was making her hate herself. She couldn't understand how her judgements, morals and personality hadn't changed and especially not towards Draco but her feelings had. It wasn't fair, her heart was betraying her.

* * *

_As the moon kindles the night,_

_as the wind kindles the fire, _

_as the rain fills every ocean, and the sun, the earth, _

_so your heart will kindle my heart._

Pansy Parkinson read what Crabbe had written for her best friend Jill Hennessy and almost burst into tears.

"It's beautiful."

"Yeah well it's not like he wrote it himself but it's his way of expressing himself to me, he's not very good verbally."

It was the cruellest thing in the world that a dumb gargoyle like Crabbe could be more affectionate than Draco who had the gift of the gab and could probably undress a woman with words.

It wasn't likePansy Parkinsonwanted him to write her poems, that was sappy and pathetic, the thing she loved about Draco most was his selfish distain for others because it meant the moments he opened up were far more precious but since school had started back he hadn't given her the time of day.

"So are you and Draco an item yet?"

Pansy rolled her eyes and spoke matter of factly.

"He hasn't declared anything but we don't need words, I know how he feels.."

Jill looked sceptical but nodded, no one could tell Pansy Parkinson her delusions of a marriage with Draco after high school were slim to none, Draco could have told that whatever they had was over but she would either ignore him or say he was playing hard to get. Basically Draco had Pansy in his pocket no matter what he did and it made Jill want to thump her for her foolishness and also because she wanted to be in his pocket instead, as well as other places.

Jill and Pansy when they were together could be a nasty piece of work to the younger kids or non-slytherins but Draco was malicious all on his own and he didn't discriminate. He abused everyone and anyone when he felt like it and the people who cared about him like Pansy and Crabbe got it inflicted upon them the most.

Jill didn't hate Malfoy, he was rich, sexy and destined for success whether in the dark arts or not which earned her respect and if he had proposed she would have accepted on those qualities alone but she couldn't understand how someone with so much going for them could hate the world as much as he did.

He seemed disturbed (and with his father who could blame him?) but he never showed it, it was only Jill the quiet observer in the slytherin common room that picked up on it. She had never been outgoing like Pansy but they had become fast friends nonetheless, their mothers worked together and father's were both rich so it was inevitable really.

Jill was always shy and quiet for as long as she could recall and it had it's draw backs but it also allowed her to hone and evolve her ability to read people and from that manipulate them if she needed to. Crabbe was quiet too, a follower also and had a virtually unreadable expression almost all the time which made them a good match because despite his lack of intellect he always kept her guessing. She didn't love him but she cared about him and he provided her an in to be near Draco who fascinated her even more.

She kept Draco's secrets, the secrets he didn't even know he divulged, his eyes, his expression always betrayed him despite whatever he was saying or lying about at the time. She did this without any appreciation because he was none the wiser, she just hoped one day karma would prevail and he would notice her and they could ride off together on his broomstick. It was every slytherin girl's dream to date Draco and even Jill reluctantly fell for his charms. Crabbe was a stepping stone to what she really wanted and although Pansy was her best friend, she'd step over her to to get to Draco Malfoy. They were all slytherins after all and she knew they had a silent understanding: lie, cheat and betray should basically be their house motto.

She knew that Draco on the last day of school had been distracted anddistant and had become even worse since school started back. He was rarely in the common room boasting about his latest exploits and she missed him, most of slytherin did, his presence made a room.

No one knew why he had pulled away from his friends, some said he found new mates, others said he had a secret lover, maybe even a professor and the gossip it caused made him the topic of popular conversation, almost as much as if he'd been there himself.

Jill was the only one who knew the truth, the truth that made her ill with envy and sick with excitement that she had what she'd needed to finally make her move and manipulate the one boy nobody could touch.

She just needed to wait until the opportune moment.

* * *

Ginny was waiting around outside the portrait hole when Harry approached.

"What are you doing lurking in the corridor Gin?"

Ginny knew it was immature and stupid but she couldn't help it.

"Dean just went in and I wanted to wait until he went upstairs."

"You mean you haven't spoke to him yet?"

"Nope."

"It's been five days back."

"I know."

"I'm impressed with your evasiveness."

"Yeah but it just means I'm really good at being a coward."

"You can't hide from him forever."

"I know, can you have a look in and see if he's around for me?"

Harry rolled his eyes but agreed, finding it hard to resist whatever she asked of him.

He entered the dimly lit common room to find Dean doing his homework by the fire with Padma Patil perching precariously on his knee giving him enthusiastic kisses.

Dean turned to the door anxiously but relaxed when he realised it was Harry.

"I thought you were someone else mate."

Harry nodded but couldn't help but stare at the mismatched pair.

Padma gave him a hard stare.

"What are you gawking at? Haven't you ever seen a teenage couple before?"

"So you're dating Padma now?"

Dean just nodded.

"You can tell Ginny I'm over her so she can stop avoiding me now, I'm with someone better."

He gave Padma a cheesy smile and she beamed back at him.

Harry retreated out of the room and told Ginny the news. She was so relieved she gave him a quick hug that he was reluctant to end.

"Thanks Harry now I can go in and face the music."

She entered the common room with Harry behind her.

She saw Dean and Padma and smiled. Padma glared at her and Dean wouldn't look at her.

"I'm glad to see you and Padma are together."

Dean shook his head bitterly.

"Why?"

"What do you mean why? I want you to be happy."

"No you don't want to feel guilty but no one around here, not even your own brother could mistake themselves with thinking you give a shit about me."

Harry stood angrily in front of her.

"Hey Ginny was worrying about you all summer and Ron knows that."

"Really? Weird then that Ron agreed with the rest of griffindor that Ginny messed me around."

"What? You've been having debates about it or something?"

"Well everyone knows if that's what you mean, of course they don't say it to your face."

Ginny felt the lump rising in her throat but refused to cry in front of anyone.

"Harry is it true everyone knows?"

Harry shifted uncomfortably and looked at his shoes.

"I take it as a yes. Why didn't you say anything to me?"

Harry shook his shoulders.

"I wanted to protect you."

"I'm not eleven anymore Harry."

She meant to sound angry but she sounded more exasperated than anything. Her whole house, and her own brother thought she was some sort cruel tease.

She couldn't stay there anymore.

She felt so spiteful as she rushed to the library, the only place she knew would be quiet and empty at this time in the evening.

She pushed the doors open with a bang and swept down the aisles until she found a shadowy corner and sat in it.

Her cheeks were flush with annoyance and she bit her nails anxiously so she wouldn't cry. She felt betrayed by the people she cared about, even Harry, not only because they gossiped behind her back but because they thought she was too young to be able to cope, that was the thing that frustrated her to tears and of course the fact her friends and her own brother thought so little of her.

She had kissed Dean yes, but he wasn't her first, she had given Neville a peck on the cheek after the Yule Ball and he didn't expect for her to be little-miss-girlfriend-of-the-year it was only Dean who drew something he wanted to be true out of her actions. They kissed but only once and after that they just hung out a lot like friends. She had to admit when he touched her leg or gave her lots of hugs that she could have said something but she saw it as too trivial to make a fuss. Maybe in that way it was partially her fault but she never consciously led him on like everyone seems to think she had.

She got up, refusing to feel sorry for herself and pulled out a book on herbology from the shelves, Neville had spoke enthusiastically about the joy _underwater plant species in the Amazon river_ had brought him so she opened it up hoping it would distract her.

* * *

Draco loved solitude, being an only child meant it came naturally to him to enjoy and occupy himself when he was alone, of course when you had the best toys, spell books and broomsticks as a child it made it very easy to do so.

So when he heard the library doors bang open as he was browsing over the dark magic section of the library that was obviously out of bounds he scuttled out and hid behind a column of dusty books piled almost to the roof. The books were tattered and the rush of air that was left in Draco's wake meant they swayed dangerously in front of him.

Draco realised he had dropped his wand out of his robes in his panic to escape but he was relieved to see it had landed in front of the potions books and not in the restricted area. Draco frowned at the idea of so many books being left unattended and piled in such a dangerous fashion but he knew it was late at night and nobody was around for it to be hazardous, except for himself and the other mystery student who were in the library long after hours.

He wondered if it was Pansy following him again. Her relentless fawning over him made him want to hex her but they had been okay friends last year so he restrained himself and the penalty Dumbledore would place on him for making her a mute wouldn't really make it worth the effort. Pansy seemed to have an abundance of interest for whatever Draco had to say no matter how meaningless and at first it was good having her unwavering devotion but it got tedious and after he slept with her the first time, the next day she acted like they were on a honeymoon trying to coil his gelled down hair with her finger and calling him "my draky." He soon put a stop to that and froze her out but it didn't stop her suffocating him whenever they were near, he did sleep with her whenever he was bored or lonely but it was out of convenience or necessity, nothing more. He knew it was cruel but he told her from the start it was just sex, he just pretended that she believed him.

Draco and Pansy had a viscous cycle and since school had started back he made a vowel never to get caught up in it again no matter how much she flirted with him or how low her top was. Sleeping with Pansy wasn't worth the catastrophic aftermath where he wouldn't be surprised if she brought them matching bathrobes or had his picture in her locket.

It was all noble and fine until he got so frustrated he couldn't be around her let alone any of the other slytherins girls who were always up for it. It was bad enough sleeping with Pansy but incurring her wrath for sleeping with one of her friends would be even more taxing. So he escaped to the library where he could be alone and free of temptation and actually caught up on the school work he always neglected. He didn't care if it made him look like a nerd, no one would even dare think it let alone say it to him anyway and as far as he knew he came in when there wouldn't be any witnesses.

Then he saw her.

Ginny.

Of all the people that would be rebelling by entering the library so late at night he wouldn't have expected it of miss goody two shoes Weasley. He was glad he was hidden because he definitely didn't want to talk to her, even if it was to verbally abuse her.

When she sat down in the corner with a face of thunder he thought it best to slip out from behind the books and leave her alone. It was then with a surge of fear that he realised the time.

It was 11.59 pm. The library door magically locked at 12pm to prevent people looking at the restricted section at night and it saved Filch one less area to patrol. It had only been in place sincesecond year when a broken lantern was found by Filch in the library after dark with no whereabouts of the owner. Filch kicked up a stink and this was Dumbledore's solution.

He decided he didn't care if Ginny saw him he was going to make a run for it and leave her to rot all night in the library.

He stepped out quickly from behind the pile of books but his elbow hit the side of them a little too hard and he felt himself get hid hard on the head as the top book fell on him followed by the rest in an avalanche of paper and dust that trapped Draco under them.

* * *

Darkness.

He wasn't sure if was semi-conscious or just couldn't see or both. His head throbbed so hard he thought he was going to be sick but he felt movement above him and decided there still might be time to make a clean break. His arm was trapped between two large copies of the _troll history trilogy_ but he used his other one to force his hand up and break out at the top of the books.

His hand was free at the top and was about to use it to slowly move books away when a hand caught his. He knew who's it was and felt his blood run cold. He had never held a girl's hand, it was something strangely intimate which he avoided at all costs and the coincidence that it was Ginny's made him feel sick with dread. His mind was turning on him, playing tricks. It was just a coincidence since his domestic bliss dream about her that they had kept running into each other more than ever before. He wondered if she had had the same dream, if not it would have comforted him that it wasn't a premonition of some sort but he dismissed the idea as ridiculous, at least for his sanity's sake.

Ginny squeezed his hand encouragingly.

"It's going to be okay, I'm going to take the top books off first to lift some weight and then you try and move some yourself while I go for help."

Draco tried to shout that she should go get help straight away so they could unlock the door for him later but it just came out as muffled noise to Ginny.

* * *

She wondered who was stupid enough to get trapped under a pile of books but she scolded herself for being unsympathetic, she was skipping idly through despite Neville's ravings what was perhaps the most boring book known to wizarding kind when she heard the rumbling and thuds of falling books and if it hadn't been for a discarded wand close by she wouldn't have thought anyone was underneath them, just Peeves being annoying or some other unexplainable concept as to how they fell.

That's when she realised who it was, she only had the hand to identify the person and she just happened to see the square gold ring with the Malfoy family crest branded into it on his little finger. Ginny wondered if she should just leave Malfoy to die of dust phenomena or pass out from the smell of must but she knew she wasn't capable of either even if he was had the situations been reversed.

She thought about going for help and as appealing as the idea was of getting Malfoy into trouble it meant she would to and she had enough trouble to be going on with at that time. She knew she could lift enough of the books off for him to crawl out if she was quick, sure Malfoy would suffer longer (again a pleasing thought) but it saved them both from detention which in the long run he would be thankful for. Besides Malfoy had inflicted enough pain on people in the past for him to have a taste of his own medicine, she just hoped he hadn't broken his arm and had to report the incident when he went to the hospital bay.

She got on her hands and knees and started shifting books at lightning speed until she could see the top of Malfoy's white gelled hair. He shook his head to move some books and finally pushed his way out like a phoenix from the ashes.

They were both very dusty and out of breath but Ginny couldn't help but laugh at clean cut Malfoy looking like he'd just come down the chimney.

He gave her an incredulous look.

"What about this could possibly be funny Weasley?"

His look made her laugh harder and suddenly she couldn't stop. She laughed at how fate constantly threw them together, she laughed at how immature Dean and Padma were, she laughed at how stupid she was to let it get to her and slowly all the anxieties of before had drained out of her.

Draco however was not so jolly and was near fuming when her laughing continued.

"Stop it."

The laughing continued.

"Nobody laughs at me let alone a filthy Weasley like you."

Ginny wiped the tears out of her eyes and caught her breath.

"I wouldn't be accusing anyone of being filthy if I was you, have you seen yourself?"

Draco stared at his dusty robes and patted them so the dust shook off.

He looked at the large clock on the opposite room and groaned.

"Well I'm staying on this side of the library and you stay on the other."

"What are you talking about? I saved your life and got no thanks for it why would I stay? I'm going to bed instead of staying with someone as delusional as you."

"I'm not delusional-"

"The dust got to you then."

"-I'm realistic, we're trapped here Weasley and it's all your fault."

Ginny rolled her eyes.

"_You were_ trapped but now you're not so I'm leaving although your company was delightful as usual."

She gave him her most superior, smug look and marched to the door, finally having the last word she felt very pleased about the way the day ended.

* * *

Draco could hear the noise of the door trying to be opened over and over and laughed bitterly, she was so stubborn.

Ginny felt like crying again, life wasn't fair to her.

"Why is the door locked?"

Her tone was so defeated he almost felt sorry for her if he wasn't too busy feeling sorry for himself.

"If you bothered to read the school letter we get owled every year you'd know the school installed magical locks on the library door after midnight."

"So we're stuck?"

Draco laughed hollowly.

"Wow you're so astute the hogwarts education is really paying off, and how your family pays to educate dummies is beyond me."

Ginny wasn't angry, she was too tired to be pissed off but she wouldn't let him get the better of her.

"Wow you're so polite your mother must have raised you really well."

The sarcasm dripping off their every words filled the air with a silent tension.

Draco stood up menacingly.

"Don't you ever talk about my mother you're not even worthy to speak her name!"

He ran to pick up his wand.

Ginny mumbled 'mummy's boy' under her breath that had sent him into a blind rage.

He went to curse her but she was quicker.

"Expelliarmus!"

His wand was over the other side of the room before he even realised it was gone.

She wondered for a moment if he would try and hurt her without his wand but he didn't move.

They stared intensely at each other. Ginny felt her insides squirming again and Malfoy felt completely exposed.

He waited for her to hex him but for the second time she hadn't. She just went and sat across the other side of the library, she couldn't remain under his piercing gaze and keep her own for any longer or she might have kissed him there and then.

_Ginny the immoral tease. Everyone was right._

"I'll stay here you stay there and we'll both be alive to be punished tomorrow."

* * *

An hour had gone by and she could hear Draco sifting through books, her curiosity got the better of her.

To her surprise (she knew she shouldn't have been) he was looking through dark magic books from the restricted section.

She rushed over grabbed them all in her arms and put them back.

"What are you doing?"

"You're not supposed to be reading dark magic books idiot, what you do at home is one thing but what you do while I'm in the same room with you is another!"

"We're not supposed to evenbe in the library either but look where we are! Are you always so bloody bossy?"

She gave him a smug smile.

"Only on my good days."

He rolled his eyes too exhausted and his arm hurt too much to physically fight her for them.

"Why were you in the library anyway Weasley? Thought if you read enough books you'd actually grow a brain?"

"What were you doing Malfoy? Thought if you studied enough about the dark arts you'd actually be good enough for that horrid man you call a father?"

Draco was stunned but he didn't know what to say. She was half right but he was so mad he didn't know what to do.

"My father is ten times the man your father will ever be!"

Ginny sighed.

"Maybe ten times as wealthy but my dad will always be superior to yours in every other way. Your father helpedVoldemort almost kill me, did that happen to slip your notice?"

Draco had no reply, it was true and he didn't know why he was defending a father he hated but he would always defend the Malfoy name even if his father had tainted it.

"You have no proof!"

Ginny knew no matter how sour the Malfoy father and son were, Draco didn't deserve to have his father's name dragged through the mud in front of him, every boy no matter how horrible needed to believe in their father.

"Whatever, I just think you have potential to do more but I'm just an uneducated dummy what would I know?"

She gave him a half smile as some sort of consolation and went back to her area despite knowing she wouldn't sleep.

The worst thing she learnt since reluctantly being forced to converse with Draco Malfoy was that he wasn't completely rotten like she thought, he wasn't evil like Harry and Ron thought, he was simply a very lost and neglected little boy and what he was was a reflection of his upbringing and father not of himself.

It was worse because she felt sorry for him, sure he had choices and the ones he made were almost always bad or cruel but for someone to have become as cold as Malfoy there had to have been a lot of pain and suffering to get there. He was once a little boy who was good she was sure, and having experienced first hand how little Lucius Malfoy cared for children she couldn't bare to think what a horrible place it would have been to grow up in.

She couldn't hate him even though lately she didn't anyway. She wanted to be a friend as ludicrous as it sounded even to her, people see what's in front of them and take it as face value and she used to to. Someone does something bad they are accordingly bad themselves but people were more complicated and layered, she just had to peel them all away before she had the raw, uncorrupted Draco or at least a small glimpse that she was certain existed.

He wasn't going to come to her, she'd have to go against her better judgment (it was becoming a habit) and even incur the wrath of both Gryffindor and Slytherin but for her own peace of mind and to prove a point and dare she even think it: to help Draco she was going to try and find the little boy inside. Besides if she somehow by some force of nature (and of will) she changed or mellowed Draco she was sure the entire school would thank her for it in the end.

She was just picturing Ron and Harry's disgusted faces when Draco appeared before her.

He looked awkward, in fact Ginny couldn't help but silently chuckle at the fact he looked a bit constipated.

He put two dusty shot glasses and an unlabelled bottle on the table.

"Want a drink? If we have to stay all night we may as well keep warm."

Ginny smiled.

"I'm not huddling up to you if that's what you think but try the line on Pansy I'm sure she'd swoon."

He cringed at her name.

"I was talking about the drink smartass."

The way he said ass was so british and posh she was going to take the piss but remembered her silent vowel.

"What is it?"

"Some sort of cheap fire brew, not too potent."

Ginny was amazed at how Draco could find fire brew in a library.

"You had it in your robes or something?"

"The librarian keeps it behind two of the books on the shelf behind her desk."

She smirked, no wonder she always looked so dazed and confused.

"How did you find out?"

"You can smell it on her already foul breath it was only a matter of time before I found it."

"So that's why you're always in the library."

Draco raised an eyebrow.

"Been spying on me have we?"

"No it was an astute observation if you believe I'm capable of them. I escape here too sometimes."

Draco gave her an indignant look.

"I don't escape here I just like the peace and quiet, popularity has it's drawbacksandI don't get bothered here."

"That's the same thing."

"Not that you'd know anything about being popular."

She rolled her eyes.

"Ingenuine people constantly vying for your attention, having to constantly balance power, juggling girls and always feeling self conscious yeah I'm really missing out."

"I never feel self conscious or have to balance power with anyone Weasley I'm a Malfoy."

"That just means your money solves the problem for you."

"What would you know? You spend five minutes with me and suddenly you have some special insight into my life?"

"No one does, you don't let them."

"Shut up."

He took a gulp of fire brew not liking where the conversation was heading but surprisingly reluctant to move away.

"Now that is one lame come back you disappoint me."

"It's not my business to impress you, I'm the prince and you're the peasant I don't need to justify myself to you."

"And yet here you are doing so, of your own accord may I add."

Draco took the bottle and gave her a glare.

"If it were a normal circumstance I wouldn't give you the time of day and yet here I am trying to be civil to someone painfully below me in social status, wealth and intellect as well as numerous other things that would take me all night to list, well I won't be so stupid again."

He moved to leave when she grabbed his hand for the second time that night, she wasn't sure why and he moved away as if he'd been burned.

"What do you want to be when you leave hogwarts?"

"What are you blabbing on about?"

"What are you going to spend the rest of your life living in idleness thanks to money you didn't earn?"

"No."

In truth that was exactly was he was going to do, he had given little thought to his future. He got by day by day but he would rather be eaten by a horntail than divulge that little piece of information.

"Then what?"

"It's none of your business and unless you want to be hexed into tomorrow I suggest you shut that incessant gob of yours."

She was going to protest and ask why he came over to her to offer her alcohol they both knew she wouldn't drink unless he wanted to initiate some sort of human interaction but didn't.

He sat down opposite her and drank while she read her book, it was strangely comfortable and completely alien all at the same time. She felt under scrutiny and yet it didn't really bother her. When two people are alone together in most circumstances they are forced to communicate, they weren't animals after all and it still surprised and excited her that someone as proud as Draco would fit that norm.

They were both glad of the company even if the clock was the only noise in the room. It wasn't that they had nothing to talk about it was that there was too much that always went unsaid, to properly talk they had to be friends and they were far from over that hurdle.

Draco was happy in Ginny's company and it scared him which made him resent her even more. He also felt completely out of place talking to her. He realised how pathetic his life was when a person who barely knew or liked him had faith in him, more so than his own parents and friends.

They saw his potential through money but Ginny didn't and he felt a better person for it. He felt compelled out of some sort of gratitude completely uncharacteristic and below him to repay her. Sure alcohol wasn't a great way but he wasn't used to trying to be nice to someone he saw as infinitely inferior or toanyone for that matter. It annoyed him that she treated him as an equal whereas everyone else saw him as above them and showed it, except his father who made it obviously clear Draco was far below par.

Even some of the professors catered to him like they would an honoured party guest. Ginny was also clever he knew, she provided him with mental stimulation even if it was when they were verbally abusing each other. His other friends couldn't make him lost for words like she could. The truth was when he was with her he didn't feel superior, he only wanted to. It frustrated him and thrilled him but he just saw his interactions with Ginny as his subconscious need to punish himself. His justification covered up the truth that he never felt so energized with anyone else.

It was a curse that thatone person was a Weasley. For that their friendship could never be established, not just his own pride was at stake but that of his family and the Malfoy name. A Malfoy fraternizing with a Weasley was unheard of in the long history both wizarding families had, and he wasn't one to buck tradition or start a new trend.

The candles eventually went out and they both fell asleep in the chairs.

* * *

The next chapter will either be up before Jan 8th or it will be a really long oneafter January 18th because I'm on holiday for two weeks.


	4. fools of fate

Okay well I changed the genre of the story from humour to angst because I think there is more of the latter and I made this chapter extra long because I'm going on holiday for two weeks and so wont be able to write anything new or update until I get back.

I don't know if anyone is reading or likes this story so reviews would be helpful in letting me know whether or not to continue. Constructive criticism is always welcome. The story will rarely follow events in the books but I hope how I'm going is okay so let me know!

* * *

"Please darling tell me this is a joke for my poor heart's sake."

Ginny looked at her father and mother who looked very ill and pale and felt her heart break, she didn't want to disappoint her parents but she wasn't going to change her mind either, she couldn't even if she had wanted to.

Ron and all her brothers were rubbing their fists together and looked at her like she was a stranger. She sort of was these days.

Arthur was rubbing his forehead and Mrs Weasley was frantically pouring tea.

"Is he so much of a coward that he couldn't show his face here too?"

Ginny frowned.

"He would have come but I didn't want him too, I know he'd just end up leaving with a bloody nose or worse."

Ron scoffed.

"Too right he would have. He's a bloody Malfoy!"

Ginny felt like she was facing the firing squad, her and Draco had been in a secret relationship after high school for about a year and now she was pregnant and had eloped with him less than five days ago however they didn't know the latter part yet, she didn't want to give her parents a stroke afterall.

"I'm sorry I made you feel like this and I know you hate Draco but you love me, so please trust me when I say that he's a genuine guy and when you get to know him you'll see it too, and most of all he makes me happy."

Mrs Weasley laid a warm hand on her shoulder.

"Is it not possible he is just pretending to be good to work his way into the family and hurt us?"

Ginny would have laughed out loud at the accusation if the room wasn't so tense.

"Mum trust me when I say I believe he is one of the kindest people I know despite his past, everyone deserves a second chance.."

Ron moaned out loud.

"..Second and third and fourth, we've turned the other cheek too many bloody times already."

Ginny glared.

"Oh and you'd know about forgiveness? Hermoine and Harry kissed each other drunkenly at graduation when you weren't even going out and you haven't talked to either since!"

"Well I've been busy, and travelling, I visited Charlie in Romania remember."

"They don't have owls in that part of the world then?"

"This isn't about me so don't change the subject!"

There was an apprehensive silence that Arthur Weasley's eerily calm voice broke.

"It's one thing to have your own child have a child out of wedlock with someone as detestable as Draco but it's another to befriend him, he is never welcome or is to set foot in this house as long as I live, understand?"

Ginny sighed.

"What about _our _child? He will be half Weasley _and_ half Malfoy is he to be shut out?"

Arthur was seriously considering it but Mrs Weasley spoke before him.

"Of course he'll be allowed, it's been too long since we've had little ones in the house isn't it so Arthur?"

Arthur nodded but wasn't really listening.

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it Molly."

Ginny rung her hands together nervously as she broke the second bombshell.

"I know this is a terrible way to tell you but I don't think you can all hate me any more so I'll just say it - me and Draco got married on Wednesday in somerset, it was spare of the moment and I knew you'd try and stop me if I told you."

Ron and the twins had left the room in outrage and her parents were stunned to silence.

Ginny quickly tied her shoelace as a distraction.

"It was also for our own safety, we didn't know and still don't know what Lucius would do if he found out, we want to be far away on our honeymoon when we tell him, and also if we did it without your knowledge he couldn't blame any of it on you or bribe you so we thought it was best."

Mrs Weasley looked close to tears, Ginny was her only daughter, the only chance to be mother of the bride and it was ruined.

Arthur seemed more relaxed now though.

"I'm glad at least he did the honourable thing and committed to you, if you are to bring up a child together I'm glad it's as husband and wife. A baby needs a stable home and I trust you to give it to him even if I don't trust Draco."

Ginny gave him a hug that he reluctantly returned.

"It's your life my dear and we can't tell you or restrict you on how you live it, just be careful and give your brothers some time to get used to it."

"I love you both so much."

Molly cried.

"You'll always be my little pumpkin and at least I'll have a tiny grandson to adore out of all this. I must start knitting some clothes before he's born, maybe a nice big initial on the front. What will you call him?"

Ginny marvelled at the speed at which her mother changed from disappointed to excited.

"We thought we'd name him Marcus after dad's middle name."

Arthur smiled gratefully.

"There we go then, our youngest married and not a penny spent I think we got a good deal don't you Molly dear?"

Molly swatted him with her handkerchief.

"Oh Arthur don't joke about such things you know how much I was looking forward to helping Ginny with her wedding one day."

Arthur laughed.

"Interfering you mean."

Ginny piped up.

"Well after Lucius knows we were thinking of having a proper wedding in the garden of the burrow but I'm not sure if that breaks dad's rule of him not being allowed near here."

Molly grinned happily, a second chance for all.

"Oh don't you worry I'll convince Arthur to hold his tongue and walk you down the aisle. I should plant some more rose bushes, they'd be in bloom by the time you get hitched again what do you think?"

Ginny beamed.

"Sounds perfect."

* * *

Ginny awoke with a start in the early morning to see Draco sleeping awkwardly in the high back chair, he looked like he'd have the stiff neck she felt already.

She went over the dream in her head again and marvelled at how vivid and real it felt but she knew it wasn't. Spending time with Draco the night before had meant he had simplycrept into her dreams like what happened with so many other people.

She looked at the clock, it was almost seven and the library would be open soon.

She kicked Draco under the table who woke up and viewed his surroundings.

"Is this a nightmare?"

"It will be if you don't put the fire brew back and tidy up, we'll already be in trouble if we get caught here, let alone with the librarian's alcohol."

The night before came back to him and he quickly put the half drunken fire brew back despite not wanting to do what Ginny had told him.

They stood in awkward silence waiting for the librarian to come and unlock them, Ginny had read in _Witch 17 _magazine about witches who had one night stands with other wizards and the uncomfortable morning after where they'd both try and apparate away with excuses as quick as possible, Ginny wondered if they felt anything like she did. She didn't care what her punishment was it had to be better than being imprisoned with Draco who was unusually silent.

* * *

Mrs Pinchberry who was known to be obsessively strict and tidy unlocked the doors at exactly 7am and had an irritated look on her face that was only enhanced when she saw two scruffy students lurking in the aisles.

"What do you think you're doing here? You know the rules!"

Ginny put on her best innocent face, the dough eyes routine and a pout that worked so well on her mother.

"We are really sorry it's just we had an accident and were delayed getting out.

"Not my problem, you can explain it to the headmaster yourselves."

Ginny gave Draco a sideways glance and he put on his smug smile.

"Do you know who my father is?"

Mrs Pinchberry eyed him up carefully.

"Gilderoy Lockhart?"

He gave her a weird look but continued.

"Lucius Malfoy who happens todonate generously to the school and the library, if he hears I was unfairly treated by you I think he'd have serious sway in how long you remain at Hogwarts."

She put her hand on her hip and tightened her lips.

"I don't respond to threats Mr Malfoy, you broke the rules there is no way to bribe or talk your way out of it whether you're a Malfoy or the king of England am I clear enough?"

Ginny rolled her eyes, Draco had to always throw his weight around and rub people up the wrong way.

Draco laughed hollowly.

"And how would you talk your way out of the fire brew you stash behind your desk?"

Mrs Pinchberry flinched slightly.

"Dunno what you're on about."

Draco walked around her desk confidently and pulled out one of the index books to reveal the bottle.

She swallowed hard and Draco could smell the fear like some wild animal.

"You could have put that there anytime, no proof it's mine."

Draco nodded.

"That's true but whether it's yours or not whenever it's your word against a Malfoy's the outcome is never in your favour and that's a promise."

She shrunk into her chair.

"So I don't report you and you don't report me."

"That's the understanding."

He strode out of the room and left Ginny in his wake. She rushed out after him with a mumbled 'sorry' to the flustered librarian.

She caught up with Draco who was quickly pacing to the slytherin common room so no one could see him slip in, he could just imagine the rumours that would have circulated had they caught him.

People already thought he was sleeping with a teacher in the school which was disgraceful because there were no good looking female professors at their school. If they saw him Pansy would give him the third degree and people would pester him which he'd like to avoid, so it didn't help his mood when Ginny talked to him.

"Thanks for before."

"I didn't do it for you."

"Well thanks anyway."

"Stop saying that."

"What? If you hadn't said what you did be it nasty and low we'd both be in trouble."

"Whatever I'm going to put ice on my arm which is all banged up thanks to you."

"How is it my fault _you_ knocked over a stack of books?"

"Stop acting like we are on friendly terms, I would have left you to rot in that library if I had of thought of it while I was bargaining with stench breath."

Ginny laughed.

"Stench breath?"

"Shut up."

"I think you would have helped me."

"Only if you'd cast a spell that replaced my brain with that of someone who actually cared."

"Well you could have fooled me last night."

"I was practically drunk, I would have talked to the wall if you weren't there."

"So I should go around saying that Draco Malfoy talks to himself?"

"Only if you want me to spread that Ginny snores like the hogwarts express roaring through the library which is true and believe me I can do worse."

"I don't doubt it but I might be the only person who actually likes you and isn't scared of you in the whole school so it isn't advisable."

"What's not to like?"

He wasn't sure why he was voluntarily carrying on the conversation andasking for itbut it was like he couldn't stop his mouth.

"Your wealth, your father, it would take me all night to make a list."

She pushed him playfully and he rolled his eyes. It was his substitute for when he would usually torment her but unfortunately they both knew they were past that.

"Most people like me _for _my wealth not despite it."

"That because the people want your wealth but they don't realise how much nicer and less obnoxious you'd be without it."

"You'd know."

Ginny smiled.

"You know I reckon this has got to be the deepest conversation you've had with anyone at this school so far."

"As if."

"So what do you talk about with your other friends?"

"How many times do I have to tell you! You are not my friend! In fact I hate you."

Ginny giggled.

"Hardly as venomous as you used to be, so what do you define as a friend?"

He couldn't understand why she hadn't backed down by now, she just kept pestering.

"None of your business."

Just then Pansy walked around the corner and saw them.

"There you are silly I got up extra early to look for you I was worried when I didn't see you last night."

She suddenly saw Ginny and gave her a condescending look.

"What are you doing with Weasley scum?"

Draco searched for a plausible explanation.

Ginny swung her hair around and looked at Draco.

"Yes silly what were we doing?"

"I just bumped into her and was commenting on how lousy her robes were wasn't I?"

The look in his eyes was so pleading Ginny went along with it.

"Yeah he was giving me a hard time."

Pansy smiled.

"People like the Weasley's should really be shining our shoes not going to the same school as you and me."

Draco nodded.

She linked arms with him and walked off. Ginny called after Pansy.

"Pansy out of interest what do you define as a friend?"

Pansy looked like she was incredibly bored but answered anyway, directing it more at Draco.

"Someone who watches your back and cleans up your mess."

Ginny looked pointedly at Draco and walked off.

They were even.

* * *

Ginny hadn't seen her friends until she came down for breakfast, freshly showered and not smelling of old parchment.

Ron looked at her nervously, Harry would have told him she knew about his betrayal but she was too tired to argue.

She sat down and picked up a piece of pastry that was torn to pieces in her teeth.

Hermoine smiled encouragingly.

"How did you sleep?"

Ginny swallowed.

"Why do you ask?"

She didn't think anyone saw her come back into the common room that morning but she could have been wrong.

"Well Harry told us how mean Dean was to you but believe me not everyone is talking behind your back, only Dean's friends, we haven't been."

She tried to smile at this piece of information and turned sourly to Ron.

"Apparently Ron has been sympathising with Dean but that's no surprise, he's a guy and never really had much respect for me anyway."

"That's rubbish you're my sister!"

She took another pastry and left not wanting to say something she knew she'd regret. On her way out she saw Dean nursing a black eye.

"What happened to you?"

He glared at her.

"Don't pretend you didn't know about it, your ruddy brother punched me when he heard me talking about you but it was none of his business anyway!"

"But you told me he supported you."

"Well I lied alright? I am a terrible person with no conscience is that what you want to hear? You made me feel like this."

"I'm sorry okay? Sorry for my brother, sorry for giving you the wrong idea, sorry you have a black eye and anything else you hold against me."

He looked at her for a moment and nodded.

"If you help me with our potions homework tonight I'll forgive you."

She beamed.

"It's a deal."

"But I don't forgive your brother until he says sorry and gives me his stash of sweets from his brothers that he hides away."

"I don't think either will happen anytime soon but I'll talk to him, he was only protecting me it'll all blow over between you."

"It's not like I'll lose sleep over it."

"Sure Padma wont mind me helping with you homework?"

"Probably not it's not like she's any good at it to be of assistance, she's an expert at divination but I hate it so that's no use either."

Draco walked by them and eyed the two of them up suspiciously, she didn't look at him, he wanted it this way and it was fine by her. She wasn't going to make a fool of herself chasing him around to chat, she'd let fate take it's course and plus now that she had friends to lose again she was scared to make the effort.

Ginny felt her stomach rumble in protest and decided maybe she should have a proper breakfast, her and Ron were notorious for their appetites and she didn't want to disappoint anybody. She also felt incredibly grateful to Ron for defending her honour.

She sat back down next to Hermoine and gave an awkward cough.

"Ron can we just forget everything?"

"Fine by me but if you have the last scone I may have to throttle you."

She marvelled at how the boys in gryffindor were so food obsessed and how it could make or break a friendship and she was going to ask Ron about it when a piece of parchment was put in front of her by Colin Creevey.

He looked rather ill and walked off shakily.

They all stared at her.

"What's Colin doing delivering you mail? If it's Dean again I'll give him a piece of my mind."

She opened it up.

_Meet me by the large willow on the right of the lake in ten minutes if you are as ballsy as you think you are._

The sender of the letter and herself both knew classes started in five minutes but as usual her curiosity got the better of her, she knew it was from Draco and the excitement of that alone would have compelled her to run down but she was curious as to what sort of challenge or offer he would make her.

Draco always wanted something.

Hermione gave her a questioning look.

"Well are you going to share whatever it is?"

"Dean just said he was sorry for being stupid and that he wants to be friends."

Ron nodded.

"'Bout time."

Harry smirked.

"I think he had some motivation."

Ron gave a wink.

"That's what friends are for."

Ginny stashed the parchment in her robes knowing full well Colin would never tell anyone who had obviously paid him (it was a hopeful thought but he was most likely threatened) for fear of retribution.

Ginny munched anxiously at her breakfast, at least glad of the fact she had her slackest subject divination next but wondering if anyone would spot her out by the lake.

Hermione stood up and nudged Ginny.

"Shouldn't you be getting a move on?"

"It's okay I'm always late to divination."

She knew she would have been scolded about the bad habit of tardiness had it not been for the fact Hermoine hated divination and had walked out several times so she saved it for a time whenGinny missed a class that was actually important and just rolled her eyes instead.

* * *

Ten minutes later and Ginny was shivering under the willow tree cursing her impulsiveness to actually ditch class and meet Malfoy. The wind had picked up and her hair was everywhere.

Then as if out of nowhere Draco appeared behind her.

"I'm surprised you came."

"So am I. So what's with all the cloak and dagger stuff?"

"We both know I can't be seen conversing with you in public and I doubt you would want it as public knowledge either."

Ginny laughed at how mission impossible it was. She half expected him to pass her a suspicious looking briefcase.

"So you and Dean together now?"

Ginny gawked at him.

"You dragged me all the way down here in winter to ask me that?"

"I didn't exactly drag you, you came of your own free will."

"Yeah well that can change if you don't tell me what I'm missing class for."

"First tell me if you and Dean are an item as repulsive as that idea is."

"You want me to discuss my love life with you? Did I miss a step?"

"It's a simple question, a yes or no will suffice."

"How about a get lost?"

Draco tightened his lips but was silent.

"So are you and Pansy still humping like bunnies?"

Draco almost choked on his own saliva.

"What did you say?"

"Please the whole school knew I'm just astonished it still continues and how creative you must be to get around to it in this school."

Draco would have boasted about his creative genius but he remembered he wasn't with Crabbe and Doyle and how good he was at shagging under the radar wouldn't impress her.

"You like to avoid the subject."

"So do you."

"Well now we're going around in circles!"

"Why don't you start by telling me the reason for us being out here?"

"First you and Dean."

Ginny threw up her hands.

"You have spies I'm disappointed you had to ask the source but if you must know we're not no!"

Draco smiled, he wanted to look smug but he ended up looking relieved.

Ginny caught it and smiled inwardly.

"So what's the fascination with me and Dean? If you want to try and woo me I prefer to be somewhere warm."

She cocked her head enjoying watching him squirm.

"Talk about ideas above your station, hell would have to freeze over first before I even -"

"-It is pretty cold out, it snowed last night so who knows?"

Draco mock laughed.

"You have an answer for everything don't you? Even if they are pathetically lame."

She sat down and groaned.

"Are we going to be here a while? Are we waiting for something?"

The truth was the longer he bantered with Ginny without seeming like he wanted her, the happier he felt even if he tried to seem exasperated.

"Fine it was a test."

"What was?"

"This. Here."

"Did I miss it?"

"Nope."

"Did I pass?"

"More or less."

"So am I allowed to ask on what particular subject I was graded?"

"I clicked my fingers and you jumped."

"Pardon me?"

"I asked you to come to the other side of the school in abysmal weather and despite my doubts you came running to me."

Ginny felt like she had just been ambushed, she half expected Crabbe and Goyle to jump out of the bushes laughing.

"I hardly ran."

"But you came."

"I was curious."

"About what? What could you possibly think would happen?"

Ginny felt like she was eight.

"I was curious to see if you were the cruel soulless menace I thought you were but I've been proven right so I wont waste anymore of your time."

Ginny turned and walked away, the cold wind and humiliation causing tears to gather but she willed them not to fall.

Draco laughed but it wasn't a cruel laugh.

"Don't take it the wrong way."

Ginny turned back utterly confused.

"Sorry you'll have to explain the whole emotional manipulation mind game to me before we play this again."

"I wanted to see if you had what I see as important in a friend since you seem so eager to become the first genuine one I have."

"You think I'm genuine?"

"Well you've never complimented me and asshole, cruel and manipulation were commonly used to describe me so yes I think you are."

"Couldn't you have just asked 'lets be friends?' in the beginning and saved us both a lot of time and energy? I'm not willing to get frost bite to found some sort of forbidden alliance with you."

"You make it sound cooler than it is."

"So what does being your friend entail? Do I have to join some dark arts book club? Do I have to have room for future emotional scars?"

"Nothing is going to change, nobody will be the wiser."

"Then what is the point?"

"We'll know."

"So we are going to have a secret friendship but not see, talk or hang out together? It sounds like we're five."

"It depends."

"On what?"

"How many times you are willing to come and meet me down here."

"It's going to drop below zero within the next week so the chances are pretty slim."

"Then I guess we wont see, talk or hang out together."

"Okay so what did any of this have to do with me and Dean? I'm not going to be a booty call or whatever if that's what you think."

"Don't flatter yourself it's just easier to hang out with no puppy dog boyfriend following you around and writing your every move in a journal."

"You have much experience with stalker girlfriends then?"

He smiled despite himself.

"More than I care to."

"Well I have to get to class not that this very bizarre meeting wasn't fun and all but I miss feeling my limbs."

He laughed slightly. Draco Malfoy almost smiled, a genuine happy smile and Ginny thought she saw a part of it, it was worth the trip after all and she knew deep down she'd be making several more.

She turned back to ask when to next see him but he was gone.

* * *

Ginny ran up to divination in a haze of confusion and panic. What had happened completely baffled her and she wasn't even sure he was being serious but somehow she knew things between her and Draco were real now. As if she'd signed over her soul to the devil.

She was puffing and red in the face by the time she began to climb the stairs to her class and wondered what her excuse would be.

When she entered, the stifling smell of incense and tea assaulted her senses as Professor Trelawny was predicting Dina Hartfield's doom by broomsticks. Ginny turned her nose up at such an unfair prediction, she knew Dina wasn't the best quidditch player ever but this would surely have an effect on whether she tried out for the gryffindor team the next week.

She didn't even notice Ginny come in and sit down until Michelle started making obvious hand signals to try and find out where she had been all lesson.

Professor Trelawny blinked behind her large spectacles and finally understood.

"Ah Miss Weasley I had predicted you would be very late for my class today but for the students' sake would you care to explain your absence?"

Ginny felt her face heating up as the whole class turned to her.

"Well you see I was on my way to class when suddenly I had this moment."

"Moment dear?"

"Yes like the whole universe had stood still and time had halted."

"Tell me more child."

"I just remember..black, screaming and hufflepuff."

Ginny mentally congratulated herself at her web of lies.

"Then the next thing I knew I was on the floor and late for class."

Professor Trelawny clapped enthusiastically.

"Ah you have the sight."

"I do?"

She pretended to look interested.

"You can see in the future what others can not for I too saw what you did. I knew from the first moment you stepped into my class that you were a kindred spirit. Beware of your gift though Miss Weasley, what will be will be, regardless."

Ginny tried not to roll her eyes at the absurdity of it all, her so called premonition was something she made up without even thinking and now the stupid woman had validated it and everyone looked at her like she was the teacher's pet.

Michelle caught up with her after class.

"What was all that about?"

"I just made it up I think someone would have noticed if I had collapsed don't you?"

"Then what were you really doing?"

"I felt sick so I went out for fresh air and a walk and lost track of time."

Michelle laughed.

"That's very straightforward and uninteresting."

"That's me."

* * *

Before they knew it the weekend had come and gone and it was one of the most eventful ones Ginny had ever had.

Both Saturday and Sunday she slipped away to the willow tree by the lake to wait for Draco the same time as before not even sure if he'd turn up, but he did.

At first they just sat in silence, the most awkward of her life but soon they started a smooth conversation, most of it was making digs at each other but it was light-hearted and they observed and made opinions about this and that. They avoided the controversial subjects such as their families, houses and most stuff people have in common. It was like they were two different people or trying to be different for each other she wasn't sure. It wasn't insincere thoughit was nice.

Draco would even laugh and smile like a normal human being and not like some smug snot but he was careful not to smile at her too much and she was careful not to look at him too closely.

Her friends had no idea where she was but she didn't care, she was enjoying herself.

"Will you come on school days?"

Ginny turned her head towards him.

"Am I that good company?"

"My ego must be rubbing off on you already."

"That wasn't a no."

He smiled.

"So will you?"

"I can come lunchtimes."

"No it's too obvious then that we are missing."

"I can come in the early morning and late at night."

"That's less conspicuous."

"Well I should get going you know I have places to vandalise, people to abuse."

She laughed hoping but secretly knowing he was joking.

"I brought you something."

He raised an eyebrow.

"Oh?"

She felt a bit embarrassed. She handed him a copy of _pride and prejudice_.

He looked at it curiously.

"Am I supposed to read this?"

"Not if you don't want to but it is it's main purpose yes."

"Why did you give it to me?"

"Well it's a muggle book I like and you know I think you should have at least one non-dark arts book to read."

"Who says all I read is dark arts?"

Ginny giggled.

"Actually most people think you are incapable of reading."

He gave her a sour look but it soon disappeared.

"Anyway it's a romance so I don't expect you to like it but you know friends tend to share their interests so I thought I could try it."

He opened it up and saw Molly Weasley scrawled in the corner.

"This is your mother's?"

"It was but it's mine now and I'm giving it to you."

Hesmiled gratefully.

"My mother has read this too but she'd have a coronary if she knew I had given it a go."

"So you will?"

He sighed overdramatically.

"If I must but if you tell anyone I was reading Jane Austen I will hunt you down and curse you."

"Fair enough."

Ron and Harry did wonder where she went in the morning and night the following days but she always had an excuse waiting and her best friend Michelle was too busy with her obsession with Draco Malfoy to even ask. Ironic really.

* * *

It was saturday morning and the quidditch game was Slytherin vs hufflepuff.

"Looking forward to the game today?"

Draco scoffed.

"Do you even need to ask? Watching Slytherin beat the crap out of hufflepuff is my kind of entertainment."

"Why am I not surprised? So did you finish the book yet?"

"Give me a chance I'm not a book nerd like you, I actually have a life."

Ginny gave him a hard stare.

"Then you wont want to hang out with a loser like me anymore then."

"Don't be bloody sensitive I was kidding or at least half kidding."

She gave him a playful punch.

"Keep pushing Malfoy and see what happens."

"I'm not scared of you Weasley."

Then Draco was deadly silent.

"I have to go."

"Why?"

"I just do, I might see you at the game."

Ginny sighed and left a little after him, she knew she would see him at the game but they wouldn't be able to talk or even acknowledge each other. She just wished somehow she could make her other friends see in Draco what she did so that the lying and guilt could end. She was sure she wasn't wearing rose coloured glasses as far as Draco was concerned, what she saw was real and she needed others to notice it to.

* * *

Draco felt physically sick, before he made excuses to leave their last lines of banter were straight out of his vivid dream he had about Ginny last year and he didn't know what to think all he knew is that he wouldn't give up whatever friendship he had with Ginny because of it. He was selfish and Ginny made him happy so he wasn't going to ever let her go without a fight. He marvelled at how fast his feelings towards her had changed, one minute he was vowing never to be her mate the next he couldn't think how he would bear school without her.

They were both dependent on each other for something they couldn't seem to find anywhere else, they just weren't sure what it was.

"Hufflepuff scores!"

Ginny and Hermoine squealed in excitement as Jeremy Kilarney put hufflepuff in the lead.

There were almighty boos coming from the slytherins and Ginny looked over to a very moody looking Malfoy.

Then out of nowhere Ginny heard screaming which was followed by more screaming and suddenly Fran Black the beater for Hufflepuff was plummeting to the ground after being hit by a quaffle and falling off her broomstick. Luckily Jeremy saw her just before she fell and dived quickly as she was nearing the ground at sickening speed. He managed to grab on to the tops of her quidditch robes and swing her around to fall on to the sand and soften the impact. She was knocked out but didn't looked to be seriously injured.

There was a unified sigh of relief in the stands but the slytherin bench looked a bit more pleased with themselves at this lucky turn out.

Hermoine laughed nervously.

"That was close."

Ginny agreed.

Then she heard whispering behind her, half of her friends were giving her weird looks.

She turned back and tried to ignore it but now she could hear her name on everybody's lips.

She turned back and asked what the problem was.

Michelle piped up.

"You were right."

"About what?"

"About your premonition."

"I told you I made it up."

"Well either way it came true."

"What do you mean?"

"Black, screaming, hufflepuff! It came true everything you said you heard or saw or whatever."

Ginny knew she was right but she couldn't feign the amazement everyone seemed to feel.

"It's just a coincidence."

Michele looked mystic for a moment.

"As the professor says there is a fine line between coincidence and fate."

Ginny nodded and retold Hermoine the whole story. She looked disapproving that she decided to have a stroll around the school grounds during class time but she was the comfort Ginny needed with her practicality and logical thinking.

"Well it is a big coincidence but when you think about it it's whatallphychics(the phoney ones anyway) do, they pick general topics like colours or usual things suchs as death and birth and manipulate them to their advantage by reading the person's face. You picked one of four houses which is very general, a colour which is also vague and then it was just luck that the screaming fitted in. Things are always less interesting than people want them to be."

Ginny felt satisfied even if her dream about Dracoplanted doubtsin her mindshe knew all about the subconscious from Hermoine and how dreams are merely reflections of unresolved feelings or situations and other very non-magical things.

She tried to pay attention back to the game but Michelle's last words lingered in the back of her mind.

_There is a fine line between coincidence and fate._


	5. Someone else's will

Rating: M for language and sexual implications.

Note: Well I'm back from holiday and have just finished writing this (I now actually have some sort of plan for where it's all going) but as I'm going back to school next week and have work etc I'll only be able to update once every 10-12 days if I'm lucky but they should be reasonably long to keep you going. I hope you enjoy and sorry about future delays! R&R please!

* * *

Fourty long minutes later and the game was over.

Hufflepuff still did windespite the earlier commotion and so she knew when she went to see Draco the next day that he'd be irritated. Hermoine was going to the library and Ron and Harry had already left eager to join the victory festivities so Ginny hung behind and walked back slowly enjoying the first bit (and probably last) good weather they had had since being back at school before Christmas.

When she got to the main entrance there was a crowd of people andhushed conversationsbut her view was blocked as to what it was about.

When she finally saw what the fuss was all about she moved forward.

"What happened?"

Draco had a bloody nose and the beginnings of a black eye ( it seemed all men she liked ended up with one these days) and was sitting at the bottom of the staircase trying to quieten everybody.

"It's not a big deal Crabbe and Goyle have gone after him just get lost will you?"

Pansy was next to him looking stricken.

"He's in shock he doesn't know what he's saying."

He caught Ginny's eye and gave her an angry stare.

"Maybe you should respect his wishes and let him be."

Jill swung around unaware she was behind her.

"What would you know Weasley? How dare you put your nose in other people's business!"

She gave her such an evil look Ginny reeled back wondering what she had done to specifically gain Jill as an enemy but knew the inner workings of Jill and Pansy's mind were unique to human kind and not to try and be understood.

Draco said nothing but got up to leave.

Ginny turned to a young Ravenclaw girl.

"What happened to him?"

"We were all too late to see but it's obvious he got beaten up and I don't think anyone is surprised, it was inevitable really."

Ginny nodded.

She hated Jill and Pansy and felt oddly territorial. She knew Draco best, he cared about her most (well if Draco was capable of it) and so she should be the one helping him but of course she couldn't.

It frustrated her and before she could try and make an effort he was gone and left Jill and Pansy to wonder in which direction they should try and follow.

Luckily knowing him the best had it's advantages and she knew exactly where he'd be hiding out.

* * *

She ran up to the library as fast as she could in a weird mix of anger and concern. She was angry at whoever hurt him and angry he didn't say anything to her. She knew he couldn't and really it would have been suicide for them both if he had, but it still hurt and she hated that he could hurt her now.

He could hurt her with the stupidest most trivial thing as a look or lack of a look. She knew if he really tried that he could break her in more ways than one and she wasn't sure that he wouldn't yet.

She knew what she had with Draco wasn't right, it wasn't satisfying either, every time she left him she felt like they had never spent time together in the first place when they had to ignore each other around school but she didn't want it to end. She needed whatever they had to continue. If felt so much like a dream that she was scared and half hoping she'd wake up and it would be different but her feelings were too real. What's worse was she didn't think Draco could or did feel anything like what she felt for him.

She was happy with him she knew and that gave her the strength to keep seeing him even though the risk was so high. She knew the more she saw him the harder she fell and the worst it would be when it ended and inevitably it would and had to end.

What were they going to be a couple and alienate everyone around them? She'd disappoint her family and he'd disappoint his and although she knew she cared about him a lot (maybe more) it wasn't enough to make him the sole sustainer of her happiness without her family and friends.

She didn't even know how he felt about her and she didn't dare ask, she felt so fragile around him now it was like she was treading on eggshells just waiting for the time he'd go back to hating her and crush her.

When she saw him hurt she felt pain, and when he disregarded her with a severe look she felt the bottom of her stomach drop out. She knew the look wasn't just for show, it was something in his eyes she'd learn to recognise. When he was genuinely annoyed with her there'd be a burning behind them.

She found him with his back to the door flicking idly through books on ancient runes.

He wasn't even reading them he just needed the action of turning the pages to clear his head so he could try to figure out his next move. It would affect Ginny which meant he couldn't just lose his cool he had to consider her feelings. The idea still seemed so foreign, he was being considerate. The more he thought about it the more he knew his was capable of it but the less he wanted to be. He didn't want to have to think about other people, it just made things harder and the way he thought about Ginny these days made his life bloody complicated.

He knew she was near him, he heard someone come in and he could smell her before he saw her. He knew her smell, she smelt of flowers and shampoo and a natural musk that combined to make his stomach churn every time he saw her.

He couldn't believe he got hung up on such small details when he didn't give anyone else in his life a second glance. The last week had been a whirlwind of confusion and enjoyment. He couldn't stay away from Ginny anymore than she could him. It was like they were drawn to each other, he was the happiest he had been in her company and yet the way he acted and felt these days especially towards her was like he was watching a different person.

In a week Malfoy had become a pathetic sap he knew but at least he was a happy pathetic sap who didn't hate himself instead of miserable pathetic bully that couldn't stand to look at himself in the mirror.

It was a fair trade it just took some adjustment and a lot more effort to try and conceal the new him from his peers.

He didn't call them friends anymore because he knew what it was to have a real friend now and the others failed tragically in comparison. He'd trade them all in in a second for more time with Ginny but for some reason he still couldn't bring himself to let go of who he was with them. He couldn't tell them he was in love with a Weasley anymore than he could admit it to himself. They were the last reminder at Hogwarts of who he was before his metamorphosis and he wasn't willing to give that up just yet.

They were his fall back, the rocks that would always be there and if and when things with Ginny turned sour, he wanted them to be there for him in their own way without actually knowing as to what they were consoling him for. He had some sense of control when he was with them that he didn't have anymore with Ginny.

* * *

"What happened to you?"

"What does it look like?"

She sat down beside him.

"I'm sorry you're hurt."

"Why would you be?"

"Because I care about you."

"Could've fooled me."

"Sorry?"

"Your brother really needs to learn to stop fighting with his fists. If he was any good at magic he'd do the proper thing and duel with me but I didn't expect much from a Weasley."

"What are you talking about?"

"Your knuckle head brother did this to me."

"Why on earth would he do that? Did you provoke him?"

"No I bloody well did not since you harassed me so much about being nice, I just ignore him, well at least I did but he has it coming now."

"You didn't fight back?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm a good guy."

They both got a small laugh from his former statement.

"Seriously why?"

"Because I knew I'd get in trouble with Dumbleodre and with you."

Ginny hugged him.

He just froze and let her embrace him while he tried to think of what to do. He knew he should hug her back but it just seemed like too much for him to achieve right now. He was bubbling with anger before and now suddenly one hug and he was on cloud 9. He was pathetic.

"It's your fault you know, stop sucking up it doesn't suit you."

"I'm not sucking up because it's not my fault."

"He told me that Jill told him that you had said to her I was flirting and coming on to you and wouldn't leave you alone so I would say it is."

She took a minute to digest what he was saying before replying.

"Since when would I talk about us to anyone let alone Jill! She hates me and now the feeling in somewhat mutual."

"Then what? Jill is lying or Ron saw us together and made up the stuff about Jill."

Ginny shook her head.

"It is definitely Jill, my brother wouldn't have wasted time putting Jill into the equation unless it was true and I reckon the only reason he told you about her was to try and see your reaction or justify himself. What did you say in return?"

"I told him to go back to the dingy hole he slithered out of."

"Good one. Fan the flames why don't you!"

"Hey! He was the one that attacked me remember! I'm the victim for once."

"Sorry. How does your eye feel?"

"Swollen."

"Come with me and I'll get some ice."

She took him to the abandoned potions dungeon where she knew no one would venture and applied ice around his eye.

Draco looked mildly uncomfortable at having Ginny attending to him.

"Can't I just go to the hospital wing?"

"No because then Ron will get in trouble. I'll find the spell to fix your eye in a minute but hold the ice to it while I search."

"I think you're forgetting that when I find Ron he'll wish he was never born, getting in trouble with Dumbledore is the least of his worries in his soon to be very brief life."

Ginny felt tears welling in her eyes and she wasn't sure why, no one had ever really seen her cry and she definitely didn't want Draco to but she had lost any sort of self control. Everything over the last week had piled up and her brother's run in with Malfoy just proved how much harder the future would be. Ron didn't even know they were 'seeing' each other and he assaulted him, what would he do if he knew the truth?

She didn't want to lose Ron, somehow she wanted to make him proud of her and she definitely knew falling in love with a Malfoy wouldn't quite gain his admiration.

She quickly fixed his eye with a spell and then collapsed into a chair with tears streaming down her face, she didn't even realise she was crying until her vision began to blur.

Draco looked almost frightened, he had seen people cry before but usually he had been the reason they were crying and the crying was the ultimate outcome he had wanted. The tears he caused gave him some sort of satisfaction but not now. Even if he had known the reason she was crying he wasn't sure he'd know what to do. He cared about Ginny he knew for sure now because he felt his heart pull just looking at her face.

It was an odd sensation but not exactly a pleasant one.

"What's wrong?"

He didn't make any attempt to move closer to her and she wasn't sure she wanted him to. It would just make her cry more and make it more obvious how unfair everything was. She hated feeling sorry for herself but at that moment she could feel little else.

"It would be quicker to say what _isn't_ wrong."

Draco nodded, finally understanding, he knew this time would come he just didn't think it would be so soon.

"You don't want to hang out anymore, that's fine I was getting bored anyway."

He felt mean and what he said was a complete lie but he couldn't wait and let her break up with him first, that would have been unacceptable.

They weren't even dating and he was scared she'd dump him? His father would be ashamed of what he had become.

Ginny looked up at him with teary astonished eyes and her crying only got worse.

He went to leave when she called out to him.

"Is it because I didn't let you feel me up like Pansy would have? If it's about _Pride and Predjudice _I didn't force you to read it!"

Draco screwed up his face in bewilderment.

"What are you talking about?"

"Why you don't want to see me anymore! I pour my heart out to you and then you felt the need to make things worse?"

Draco sighed.

"Your whole anxiety is obviously related and revolves around me so if I just stay out of the picture than everything else will fall back into place."

He hated himself for ending it, he always said he would never let her go and now he was doing it voluntarily. He knew it would hurt but he just wanted to stop her crying.

Ginny shook her head.

"That's true but I don't want to not see you, I just want you to sit and really listen to me even if I sound whiny and even if it is about you because you're my friend and I need to get stuff off my chest, stuff that unfortunately only you can hear obviously."

The way she emphasised friend made him feel both uplifted and depressed.

Draco nodded and sat behind one of the desks.

"Spill it."

Ginny laughed.

"It wont be pretty."

"Is anything about you ever?"

She smiled even if he had insulted her. They flew right over her heard these days because she now saw beneath them.

He levitated a tissue out of the box on Snape's desk into her hand and she smiled gratefully and wiped her eyes.

"You're not going to hurt Ron are you?"

"No but I can't speak for Crabbe and Goyle."

"Yeah but you basically rule their lives I'm pretty sure you can influence them to not kill my brother."

"Who says I want to?"

"Because you're better than that."

"If you say so."

"Draco."

The way she said his name made any thoughts of revenge disintegrate. He was considering compromising by just roughing him up a bit but the look she gave him stopped him short. He'd have to lie and say he walked into a door to live the whole incident down now.

"Fine whatever."

"Thankyou."

"Well are you going to confess your sins or am I going to have to sit in this damp excuse for a classroom all day?"

Ginny talked and Draco listened, there were many times he wanted to make a sarcastic comment or form and opinion but she was so lost in her thoughts he didn't think she'd hear him anyway.

"..and then I had this dream we were married and I was pregnant and it was so bizarre."

Draco had been listening intently but when he heard that he actually gasped out loud.

She finally looked at him.

"Yeah I know it was weird but it was only a dream."

Draco didn't think telling Ginny about his own dream would exactly comfort her so he kept quiet although he felt his insides twisting in excitement and dread at the possible indications of what she was saying.

Ginny took in a deep breath knowing it was now or never.

"And the thing is I'm scared to be with you."

Draco sighed.

"I wouldn't hurt you unless you really pissed me off you know that."

Ginny shook her head.

"No I know I mean that, it's stupid really and you'll laugh but I don't want to drive you away -actually don't worry just ignore me."

Draco didn't like bullshit and he was getting tired being the supportive friend.

"Get straight to the point it's what you're good at."

"Fine then, I sorta maybe have this little crush on you and I'm scared that in the future you'll run away with some girl and forget about me or something stupid."

Ginny's face turned the colour of her hair and she instantly regretted revealing her weakness to Draco.

Draco scoffed.

"You like me?"

"Obviously."

"No I mean you like me _like me_?"

"Stop being immature!"

"You mean you want me to feel you up and shag you in inappropriate places like I do with Pansy?"

He couldn't stop joking, he knew now was the time to be serious and form some sort of relationship that went beyond friendship but he was too scared to reveal his own feelings and was too busy enjoying the moment to stop teasing her.

She rolled her eyes, sort of relieved but also disappointed at his reaction. She wasn't sure what she wanted him to say or what she expected and she knew she was stupid to think he would return any of her sentiments.

"You're such a guy."

"Thankyou."

She sighed.

"It wasn't a compliment."

"It wasn't a no."

"What wasn't?"

"Whether you wanted me to do incredibly naughty things to you right over there on Snape's desk."

Ginny blushed.

"You're such a pervert."

"Yes but a pervert you obviously want to corrupt you."

"Stop being vulgar or I'll never tell you anything again."

"What more could there be?"

"You really don't know women do you?"

"If you mean their body than I'd have to enthusiastically disagree but if you mean the complete insanity and irrationality that is the mind of a women than no I am completely lost."

"Okay whatever just forget I said anything I'm going to find Ron and sort things out and I think you should talk to Jill and put her in her place."

Draco sighed dramatically.

"But if I talk to her she'll wonder why I'm bothering trying to help you out and then Pansy will come over and I wont get away for the rest of the day."

Ginny rolled her eyes.

"What a hard life you do lead."

Draco stood up.

"Fine but you owe me."

Ginny scoffed.

"I doubt there is anything I can give to the guy who has every materialistic possession under the sun."

Draco gave her a quick wink that gave her butterflies.

"I'm sure I'll think of something."

* * *

Ginny rushed out hoping she'd find Ron before Crabbe and Doyle did.

Luckily she found Harry in the common room.

"Harry where's Ron?"

Harry got up and lay a hand on her shoulder.

"Are you okay? Malfoy is such a pig."

"Malfoy didn't do anything to me Jill made it all up."

"Why would she?"

"Because she hates me and wants to ruin my reputation."

"But she's besotted with Draco why would she sabotage him?"

"Maybe it was a way to get at Pansy after some fight who knows? The point is it's a lie and I need to find Ron."

"He's hiding upstairs, Crabbe and Doyle are on the rampage."

She finally smiled relieved Ron was safe and knowing Draco would have found them and set them straight by the time Ron emerged.

"Can you bring him down so I can talk to him?"

Harry nodded and went to get him.

"How could you be so stupid Ron?"

Ron came down looking bad tempered and massaging his fist.

"I don't need a lecture."

"I appreciate you looking out for me but I'm not a little kid and the last thing I need is having Dumbledore telling you off or worse mum because of me."

"Yeah yeah."

"Well the truth is Draco is innocent."

Harry sneered.

"That is a word I'd never use to describe Malfoy."

"Well in this case he was, Jill manipulated you both."

"How do you know?"

"I talked to Draco."

"And you believe him?"

"Just trust me okay? As a sign of goodwill he's called Crabbe and Doyle off."

Ron laughed bitterly.

"Yeah so he can finish the job himself."

"No he doesn't want to get expelled anymore than you do and to prove it he is telling people he walked into a wall or something and you have to go along with it."

"I'm not helping Malfoy and I don't have to do anything."

"You'd be helping yourself at the same time dummy."

Ron looked confused.

"Why do I feel like I'm getting stitched up here somewhere?"

Harry smacked him on the back.

"Because it involves our nemesis maybe?"

"Might be why yeah."

Harry consoled him.

"I think you should go along with it though otherwise you'll likely get suspended especially after the warning Dumbledore gave you about you bashing Dean."

"Yeah thank god he refrained from telling mum."

Ginny laughed.

"That would have been a fate worse than death."

* * *

Draco unsurprisingly found Jill attached to Pansy by the fire in the common room absorbed in the latest thrilling issue of _Witch 17_.

Malfoy glanced at the cover and laughed at the articles promoted inside:

_My polyjuice potion accident and how I found love with the boy who took me in as a guenia pig._

_10 ways to impress your special guy using a broomstick (only 5 involve actually flying it)_

_Recipes for love: spells to make the apple of your eye fall for you using legal magic._

_Celebrity article: respected journalist Rita Skeeter talks about covering the tri-wizard tournament, her lastest music career and her supposed steamy romance with toy boy legend Harry Potter. Not to be missed! _

Draco wondered how girls could ever make such trite their alternative bible but it was one of the many mysteries he didn't care to explore about Pansy and Jill. They werefemale gruesome twosome counterpart to Crabbe and Goyle.

"Jill can I talk to you?"

It wasn't a request it was an order she she knew it. Pansy looked up expectantly and then sourly at Jill when they walked off without even acknowledging her.

Two other slytherin girls who were also in competition for Draco gave her smug looks and she glared at them.

"He's had a hard day."

Kerry Lyncher the oldest of the two laughed.

"I'm sure Jill will make him feel better."

"Shut up."

The younger (and more sensible one) nudged her warningly and the older one backed down. Pansy might have been delusional but she had as much power as Draco did when it came to dominating the female slytherins.

Draco pulled Jill into a dark alcove and looked at her suspiciously.

Jill knew this would be coming, she expected the backlash of her actions and she would have been scared had she not witnessed what she did and had secret ammo to lure over Draco. She hoped he'd not only do what she wanted but would respect and admire her for standing up to him.

"What is this I hear about you getting yourself into things that don't concern you?"

Jill looked at him innocently.

"Whatever do you mean Draco?"

"Cut the shit Jill, did Pansy put you up to this? What the hell makes you think I have anything to do with Ginny?"

"Because I saw you two kissing at the Patil's birthday party on my way to the bathroom."

Now it was Draco's turn to go into denial.

"I don't know what you're talking about but nasty accusations like that can land you in a lot of trouble if you're not careful."

"I don't know what you see in your Weasley pet but if you want to slum it with the riff raff then that's your prerogative."

"Don't you dare talk about Ginny like that -"

He stopped himself aware he was passionately defending her (it certainly wouldn't help his case) and quickly added.

"- only I can tease the Weasleys."

"What are you like family now? I was right, you are more than just slumming it with the Weasley."

"It's your word against mine and I think I'd win."

"I agree but we both know a rumour like that will upset little Ginny and won't help either of your reputations."

"What makes you think I care?"

"We both know you do and in case I'm mistaken I'll be quiet happy to announce it to the entire study body and see."

"Wow I'm both impressed and disturbed that Pansy's mute second in command has surpassed her master."

Jill beamed, finally acknowledged.

"It's always the quiet ones."

"It would seem so."

"So what do you want from me? Money?"

"Please you're aware of my connections I am certainlynot lacking in gold."

"Then what?"

The fact she didn't want money made him feel even more disconcerted, money was easy and quick to handle but anything else he knew would be more complicated. He wasn't accustomed to being blackmailed and he would have had her socially exiled had it not been for the fact both he and Ginny would suffer the consequences.

* * *

It had been two days since she had seen him, in the week passed she had seen him everyday so two days with his absence as she sat and waited in the cold by the willow tree was a long time and worst of all wasan obvious statement.

It was over.

She guessed it was better he didn't actually speak the words because she didn't want to cry in front of him again and at least if he never said them to her they'd never quite be true. After all he could be sick, he could be in detention or numerous other scenarios each as unlikely as the other because if Draco wanted to do something enough it got done. Period.

She felt sort of empty and the whole day she wandered around in a daze trying to adjust back into the person she was pre-Draco and get on with her schooling.

Harry noticed the last few days how withdrawn she had become but he didn't press her about it. He wanted to be with Ginny but he knew he couldn't and shouldn't, his name and past guaranteed him an almost certainly hectic if not dangerous future and he didn't want to drag anyone else down with him if they didn't have to be. Plus Ron would batter him black and blue. Whenever Ginny was concerned no male was ever good enough and he'd let them know it and far too often he let his fists talk before his mouth. Ron was his best mate and he depended on him, nothing would jepordize that.

* * *

Draco sat on the large velvet sofa again, it had become his second home as he had his arm awkwardly placed around Jill and was enduring death glares from Pansy.

Since Draco had been pretending to go out with Jill she had come out of her shell and it was almost like she was a different person. She was no longer cautious she just said what she liked and to Draco's chargin most of it was ridiculous or mundane.

Luckily he didn't have to spar with Pansy because Jill had set her straight from the start and their friendship was more or less over although Pansy played nice to keep near Draco. Jill would have gone on the offensive about it had she not known Draco was going to faithful to her for obvious reasons and she liked the extra popularity she got from having the most affluent and influential slytherin's around her constantly.

Suddenly everyone wanted to be her friend and she finally felt karma was on her side.

Everytime Jill said something silly Draco could always here Ginny's potential replyin his head which would have been a snarky comment too quick to register with Jill but wouldn't be lost on Draco or just an amused laugh and she'd go into some passionate speech about it later.

He felt guilty for not trying to contact Ginny but there was little he could say without hurting her and if he just cut her out of his life she'd eventually get the message and he'd never have to talk to her again. If he heard her laugh again he'd change his mind about his semi-selfish charade and he knew that meant them both being harassed about potential relationships and bad decisions which would have split them apart anyway.

They were rather like a modern day Romeo and Juliet and like many stories about star crossed lovers (or rather friends) it never ended happily and sure Draco wasn't going to poision himself and Ginny wasn't going to stab herself in the chest but the warning of doom was just as relevant if not as exaggerated.

"In a weird way professor Snape is kind of hot with his glances of authority and his matrix like outfits."

Pansy sighed.

"They wore leather in the matrix Jill."

Jill rolled her eyes.

"I'm sure at one point the main guy wore a sort of priest like outfit and cape that Snape wears."

Draco wanted to groan but he didn't dare. Pansy gave him quizzical glances as if saying "have you lost your mind?"

The only time Draco was free of Jill was when Professor Flitwick kept her after class to discuss a lacklustre essay she wrote and Draco bolted back to the common room to drop off his stuff and go to the library for some peace.

Pansy was fast on his heels though and he didn't have a chance to drop his books before Pansy caught him.

"What is wrong with you?"

Draco sat down knowing this would take a while.

"I'm sure you're going to tell me."

"You don't have the right to be all superior and sarcastic because you broke my heart and went out with my best friend!"

"Pansy I'm sorry I hurt you."

"No you're not, you like the feeling of crushing someone Draco I know you too well. You like the feeling of pleasure at knowing you caused someone pain because it's just like your father only you were the one getting hurt then."

"Shut up about my father you know nothing about how I feel about this whole thing!"

"Then enlighten me."

Suddenly Jill walked in and looked at them both suspiciously for a moment before strutting over and sitting on Draco's lap.

He flinched when she kissed him and Pansy noticed although it didn't make anything any less confusing.

"I have to go see Snape about my grades but I'll see you both later."

Jill looked disappointed so he planted a reluctant kiss on her cheek.

"I'll come with you!"

"No he'll just get more annoyed it's between me and him."

"I can wait outside."

Pansy moaned.

"Stop being so clingyJill just let him have five seconds to himself."

Jill glared.

"You're one to talk all I ever heard from you last year was about Draco and his whereabouts."

Pansy sucked in her breath vowing that when Draco got bored of Jill she'd show her little mercy.

"Do you think you'll get detention baby?"

Draco wanted to vomit at being called her baby but it wasn't any worse than draky.

Draco shook his head.

"Hopefully not but it's snape so who knows?

They all nodded appreciating Snape's over zealous need to keep students after class and in the evenings.

Draco actually prayed for detention, he'd rather spend time cleaning out Snape's potion cupboard than making out with Jill but he wouldn't be doing either considering he was lying through his teeth and was going to the library to find some sort of sanity.

He wasn't surprised that he found Ginny there doing her homework with Michelle at a candle lit table in the corner.

His luck couldn't get any worse.

* * *

Reviews are my fuel:) 


	6. Game of life

Hey guys sorry I have uploaded for a while but I've just been getting back into the habit of school after 8 weeks off so the story had to take a back seat but I should be updating more regularly if my teachers are nice!

Okay well this is the last of the angst ridden chapters for a bit as next chapter is when everything comes together more or less.

Reviews are much appreciated :) let me know what you think I love to hear how people what things to go and I'm a very expressionable person :P

Anyway back to the angst..

* * *

When Draco came in it was Michelle who noticed him and her eyes lit up, she nudged Ginny.

"There he is."

Ginny looked up and tried to seem unaffected.

"I see him, so what did you get for question six?"

"I can't concentrate when he's here, do you dare me to talk to him?"

Ginny would have pinned her to her chair with her own body weight if it wouldn't have been suspicious and rather psychotic. The last thing she needed was Draco thinking she made her friends interact with him because she was too embarrassed to.

"No he wont want to see you he hates gryffindor and the fact you're friends with me automatically qualifies you for the cold shoulder."

Michelle sighed.

"Yeah you're probably right and I don't have a chance anyway considering he's dating Jill."

Draco had seen them both and moved swiftly to the other end of the library.

"He's dating her? Since when?"

"Who knows? I only found out a few days ago but it's probably been going on for ages."

Then it all clicked into place, that was why Jill had been so rude towards her and made up the lie about them, it was because she was secretly dating Draco and must have been jealous at them being friends if she even knew or if not maybe just to punish Draco for ignoring her.

Ginny felt embarrassed at thinking Draco would have remained single since he was befriending her and she felt even stupider for revealing her crush on him when he was already taken. She was also angry at him for dumping their friendship over a girl who everyone including herself knew wouldn't last until Christmas and for not having the guts to just tell her himself. He had hurt her like she predicted he would and she was angry at herself for thinking otherwise.

"Well I'm sure they'll be very happy together."

She looked back at her work and tried to concentrate.

Michelle laughed.

"Not if Pansy has anything to say about it, she's fuming because she thought her and Draco were an item."

Ginny almost felt sorry for Pansy considering they were sort of in the same boat.

"Well I don't blame her if Draco led her on then went of cavorting around with her best mate."

"Whatever, no girl in Draco's life lasts long without being betrayed, cheated on or basically screwed over I mean his past history speaks for itself but I think it's part of his charm."

Ginny nodded and now genuinely agreed with her (not the charm part), sherealised shewas just another naive fool who fell under Draco's spell, one of numerous students throughout the houses and years and she mentally scolded herself for convincing herself she was somehow special.

When she and Michelle went to leave an hour later she spied Draco reading a magazine he had brought with him and felt compelled to go over there. After all he was in the wrong and she needed to confront him to see if the past few weeks really had been all her imagination and judge for herself whether he still cared or ever had.

"Michelle can I meet you back at the common room I forgot I need to get a book out for Hagrid on rubber tail shrews."

Michelle nodded and left.

"I don't think you should take good tables up in the library if you can read that trash back in your common room."

Draco was startled by her voice but kept his composure.

"I don't see anyone else coming over to ask me to move."

"That's because everyone else is scared of you."

"Maybe they're wise."

"Probably I mean I must seem rather young and gullible to you right?"

"I didn't say that."

"Well I must be to think we could have been friends."

"Keep your voice down will you?"

He pulled her robes into the seat next to him and she slapped his hand away once she was sitting.

"Don't you dare touch me."

Draco just sighed and looked back at his magazine. Ginny gave him an incredulous look.

"You're not even going to apologize? Explain? That's just typical of you!"

"There's nothing to explain."

"Have you been sick?"

"No."

"Broken your legs and couldn't leave the hospital wing for the last few days."

"Of course not."

"Then why have you been avoiding me and letting me wait outside in the cold for you for days without any word?"

"I think we need a break."

Inside Ginny was reeling but her pride made her mouth agree. Draco heard the words he was forming and felt his stomach sink lower and lower.

"Well that's obvious but you could of actually said something instead of leaving me to guess."

Ginny tried not to sound shrill or upset but she was.

"Okay."

"Congratulations."

"For what?"

"You and Jill, I hope you live happily and have many vulgar children."

"Yeah thanks I'm glad I have your blessing."

The sarcasm was evident and Ginny was getting more and more irritated by the minute.

"So what? Shall I wait for more secret messages or maybe just try and approach you sometime next year and hope you say hi back?"

"Just wait and see."

Draco hated himself at that moment so he didn't want to know what Ginny thought of him. Draco had never cried, he had learnt from a young age not to because it was weak and it only let his father win but this was one of the times he felt like doing so, he had a lump in his throat but his body refused to actually tear up for which he was grateful for.

"No I'm not going to hang around waiting to see if you'll be myfriend or not it's not how it works, friends are there for you in good _and _bad times no matter what. You either are or aren't my friend, which is it?"

There was painful pause.

"Not."

Ginny sucked in her breath and nodded.

"Have a nice life Malfoy."

She got up and walked out of the library in what she thought was her most unaffected, dignified manner.

Draco wanted to scream at her, he didn't deserve to be hated by her considering he was being tortured with Jill as a girlfriend for her but he just sat and let her walk away.

He was fine before he met Ginny he could go back to being fine again.

He knew he could change his circumstances in the drop of a hat, he could dump Jill and their sham of a relationship and take up with Ginny but it was the latter that would pay the real price. Draco now realised that Jill having been quiet most of her life had developed cunning, devious and effective ways of destroying people by studying the human nature (and especially Draco) around her to such an extent that it impressed even the master himself. She had influence in houses other than slytherin (mainly people who owed her for keeping dirty secrets she had a habit of picking up) and could make Ginny's lifehell if she was determined enough, Draco would rather Ginny hated him and remain undamaged than be with him and be miserable. He didn't want Ginny to change and he knew best of all how misery could shape a person.

* * *

It had been two months since either Draco or Ginny had spoken. Draco who was still with Jill had told her he wanted things to be 'special' so he didn't want to have sex or any other activities until they really got to know each other which conveniently would take him until the end of high school when he could get as far away from her as possible.

Draco was a survivor and the last few months without Ginny had been just that, surviving. He was neither happy or unhappy he just went with the flow and tried not to think about her too much. His classes were getting harder and to please hisfather he had to get good grades, which luckily for Draco took time and concentration and any time and concentration not relating to Ginny was good for his mental health.

Pansy and him were getting along okay now that Pansy was with an older slytherin she liked to parade around in front of him, she never gave up the hope if she did it long enough one day he'd realise his mistake, get jealous and whisk her off to their holiday home in Italy. Draco was never in the mood to hurt people much anymore so he couldn't bring himself to tell her she was dreaming and besides Pansy had become an unlikely ally. Pansy was the lesser of two evils and she'd often make excuses for him when she knew he'd escaped for privacy and from Jill. They'd also hang out in the weekend of course Jill was there too, but Pansy was an appreciated buffer. Pansy wasn't so unbearable when standing next to Jill who was much better when she was a shy mute. Jill hated having Pansy around but Draco was in much better moods when she was so she begrudgingly complied.

Of course Draco had wanted to talk to Ginny or owl Ginny but he had to settle with watching her around school or in the great hall when she wasn't watching. He knew she watched him too it was just co-ordinating so they didn't end up staring holes into each other at the same time.

It wasn't until Christmas, the loneliest time of year for Draco that he reached out to her at last. Pansy and Jill weren't around and he was isolated and bored at home with his parents so he risked it and in desperation owled her at her home in the burrow where her family and Harry were celebrating their Christmas.

* * *

_Dear Draco_

_I'm not going to send this to you because I have more self respect than to send you stupid letters begging for your friendship because even though this isn't what I'm doing you're still not going to see it because you'll think I care about you far more than you deserve. The annoying thing is I do but you don't need to know that. It'll just be another thing you can gloat to yourself about, I sometimes wonder if it was all an act or a game like in the beginning and really you go back to Crabbe and Doyle and have a good laugh at my expense. That's what I thought the old Draco would do before I was foolish enough to get to know you (if that's the real you anyway) but even though you hurt me I know you're better than that. Did you ever really like me? It's so hard to pick out genuine people in this world and even harder with someone as complex as you, you kept me guessing which I loved ( one of the things I loved) but in the end I knew it was going to drive me (especially my insecurities) crazy and I'd be babbling in a straight jacket at mungos by the time school let out, but I'd have risked it for you anyway. Stupid huh? Everything is past tense like one of us has died, well something did but that was your fault not mine. You're used to being blamed for stuff though so this should be no surprise. Anyway I hope you feel horrid inside because then you'll know how I am and can actually understand another human being for once._

_  
Merry Christmas.  
Ginny._

She screwed up her letter and threw it into the bin for perhaps the tenth time in the past two months, she had to burn them each time she disregarded them in case someone found them but it was soothing to her to watch her words to him burn in flames. Of course the latest one she wrote back at home couldn't be burned because her mother would kill her so she left it in the bin and before she went to bed would dip it in water so the ink ran and no one could decipher who she was writing to or what it was about. It sounded paranoid but you could never be too careful with Fred and George around the place setting up traps and tricks from their business.

She would have gone crazy being the only girl in the house had it not been for Hermoine who came around on boxing day and stayed with them until the end of the Christmas holidays.

It was on boxing day when she got the letter from Draco, she was happy to leave the table to read it as Fred and George were getting a discouraging lecture from their father on the inappropriateness of making musicial condoms.

_  
_She thoughtthe lettermight have been from Michelle or Dean but she skimmed down in anticipation to see it was signed D.M

She swallowed anxiously and began at the top.

_Merry Xmas_

_You know who it is but I'm sure you are surprised and I don't blame you I know our little library conversation ended sourly and we haven't spoken for about 61 days but I just wanted to wish you happy Christmas and I know your not materialistic so I didn't get you anything and to avoid suspicion of course. I don't expect you to understand what I did or anything but I just don't want you of all people to hate me because I didn't want to hurt your feelings although I don't suppose that helps much. If you write back to me (my expectations are not high) sign it as P.P so my parents wont smell a rat and I'll know it's you because Pansy always ends with "love always." Anyway this is probably coming out of the blue so feel free to throw it in the bin or pin it up next to the picture of me you throw flaming darts at but it's Christmas after all so here it is._

_D.M_

Ginny wanted to scream out in happiness, nothing had really changed but the fact he wrote to her of his own free will and had obviously thought about her made the bitterness die away. She never wanted to be one of those girls that forgave easily just because the boy said a few kind words but you couldn't tell her heart that.

She resolved to wait three days before writing back but she was scribbling her reply down in two.

_Draco_

_Thanks for your letter and yes it is rather sudden considering you have treated me badly and ignored me for two months but better late than never I suppose. I want to know if things have changed or is this just you filling up the hours of boredom and just because you think I'm weak and will write back. I don't even know if you'll give me an honest answer but it's Christmas as you say and everything should be truthful. Agree or disagree?_

_P.P _

Ginny

_The truth isn't always as noble and glorious as you seem to think but truthfully I am bored but I also wanted to see how you were, I have been wondering for some time but being in the relationship with Jill made it impossible for me to see you so I thought I may as well cut you loose to see other friends doesn't that sound fair to you? Agree or disagree? _

D.M

Every morning Ginny woke up like she was having Christmas day after day just waiting for the next and highly frequent mail she got and exchanged with Draco.

_Draco_

_Yes Christmas was lovely and the usual events of fights, sulks and __fabulous food even topped last year. I understand you can't see me because of Jill but what you see in her in the first place confuses me. You could have just been open with me if you were seeing her all that time so I didn't think, you know it doesn't even matter anymore I wasted too much time trying to contemplate you, lets just put it behind us. So is Jill as nice as she seems:P _

P.P

Draco felt sick as he described Jill but he had to sell his adoration to her or it would have been insulting that he ditched her for anything less.

_  
Ginny_

_Jill is the pearl in the oyster shell and I'm sure if you got to know her you'd love her too. I'm glad someone had a good Christmas, I wanted to stay at school but mother insisted I come home at least one Christmas before I graduate and she's a hard woman to argue with. I got drunk most nights and never really saw my father but I don't mind the solitude really. I'm sorry I lied but you forget who I am and considering what I was like when school started I have made some progress! You want me in the sack still, agree or disagree?_

_Dear Idiot_

_Passionately disagree and why you should be asking me such inappropriate questions when you are so in love with Jill is beyond me. What shall I wear to your wedding do you think? Pansy will be a darling bridesmaid if she hasn't already poisoned the wedding cake. It sounds like heaven on earth I shall have to bring a camera._

_P.P_

_Gin_

_Oh your wit is only surpassed by your ego! but we both know the answer is yes (to the shagging not the wedding) and I'll have you know I plan to be unmarried for a very long time and hopefully without illegitimate children, me and babies never get along. They are stinking, whining, filthy plagues upon their parents and for the sake of not going to prison for infanticide I'm never producing offspring._

_D.M_

_Draco_

_Wow that was an incredibly sterile and detached view on children but then again you are Draco Malfoy right? Besides, the way you sow your seeds (despite Jill) there'll be hundreds of fatherless infants with gelled blonde hair and bad tempers out there. For the sake of society I think you should be sterilised immediately._

_P.P_

_Ginny_

_I think we should move on to a topic that doesn't concern my genitals unless you want to talk about the wild sex acts you and me will eventually take part in together and then I am happy to go into details. By the way happy new year! _

_D.M_

As the days went on they dispensed the formalities of putting their names because they were the only people corresponding with each other so it was easily to tell who it was from.

_You have reached a new level of disgusting well done. Happy new year too although I think you should keep the dirty sex acts in the magazines and between you and Pansy because I plan to remain untouched until marriage._

_You're kidding? _

What an articulate reply!

_Seriously? _

Why shouldn't I take my body seriously?

Please say it's a lie!

_Will it make you happy?" _

I will sleep at night, yes.

_Then it's a lie._

_Is it the truth? _

No

_So it is a lie?  
_  
_It's true as far as your concerned._

_Cryptic aren't we? _

You'll never touch me before I'm married and I don't plan on marrying you so as far as your concerned it's true.

_Ouch! _

_Can we resume more than one sentence a day now? School only a few days away after all and it's a waste of good parchment._

_I'm still in mourning._

_For what?_

_My dreams of us getting up to no good in Filch's office._

_  
Ew_

_Anyway school starts soon so I'll um maybe see you around._

_Fine back to the silence, whatever._

* * *

It was the last day before they had to go back to hogwarts and it was a bittersweet feeling amplified by the bitter cold. They were all sitting around the fire while Harry and Ron played wizard chess and Hermoine and Ginny were reading.

There was a cry of victory that they were used to, Ron always won wizard chess as he had a good ten extra years experience at it than Harry.Ginny couldn't understand how Harry kept putting himself through it and how Ron didn't get bored at beating him so easily almost every time but as long as it kept them quiet she didn't really care.

Hermoine was busy reading the latest book on Gilderoy Lockhart only this time it was his autobiography and detailed his flashbacks and how his memory came back and a sincere (who really knew with Lockhart?) apology for his former acts of fraud.

Hermoine snorted.

"Even now he tries and plays the victim, he acted like the new 'Gilderoy' is an innocent angel and his past is someone else, it's pathetic! He is still as ambitious as ever though, he wants to start a music career and has already had an offer to duet with Rita Skeeter! Merlin help us!"

Ginny laughed.

"I take it he has completely lost his appeal to you then?"

Hermoine sniffed.

"I don't know what I saw in him in the first place, his smile blinded me to his vapidness and deceit obviously."

Ron laughed.

"So the slimy old man obsession is over?"

Hermoine gave him an indignant look.

"He isn't _that _old!"

"Old enough that anything between you would have been incredibly disturbing and wrong."

Hermoine rolled her eyes.

"Oh please Ronald you really don't know women do you?"

Ginny giggled as she remembered her saying the same thing to Draco, another bittersweet thing she'd have to return to.

"What d'ya mean?"

At least Ron made no attempt to deny his incompetence with the ladies.

Ginny lay a patronising hand on his shoulder.

"We all liked Lockhart for a while but it's not like you actually expect anything to happen in reality, that would be gross."

Hermoine nodded.

Both Harry and Ron mumbled an exasperated 'women' under their breath that both girls pretended to ignore.

"But he did say sorry didn't he?"

Hermoine laughed.

"For what it's worth."

Harry sighed.

_  
"_If you dislike him so much and are completely over him why are you bothering reading about him?"

Hermoine squirmed in her seat and avoided their eyes.

"Well he, uh he was our teacher after all and I was seeing if we were um mentioned at all."

"Were we?"

Hermoine glared.

"You two were, heroes of the hour down in writing but I put in all the ground work and not even a mention! It's because I'm a girl I'm sure."

Harry laughed.

"I think that might be why you're so bitter towards him, not because of his former indiscretions."

Ron was grinning from ear to ear.

"What did he specifically say? Wow I should get one for mum she'd be proud!"

Ginny giggled.

"You just want one to show all the girls at school and gain a date or two from it."

"I think I deserve it!"

"Don't be so shallow Ron! Get a girl on your own merit not on the back of someone else's fame!"

Ron glared.

"Me shallow? I'm not the one getting all angry because my name wasn't in the book!"

Harry could see things blowing way out of proportion so added.

"-plus he didn't actually know you helped because you were in the hospital wing at the time but if he had known or we had a chance to tell him I'm sure you'd have been credited."

Ginny chipped in trying to cool things off, her parents were out walking and their other siblings had left the burrow so she felt it was her duty.

"Remember how we all hate Rita Skeeter! Right?"

If looks could kill Ron and Hermoine would be guilty of murder as they were glaring right through each other.

Ginny and Harry looked at each other desperately and to their surprise Ron and Hermoine both started laughing.

Ron went back to tidying the chess board and Hermoine looked back down at her book.

Ginny and Harry were in shock.

"That was an anti-climax!"

Ron and Hermoine ignored her.

"Hello? About to rip each other to shreds a minute ago?"

Hermoine groaned.

"Don't harp on about it."

"But what happened?"

Ron sighed.

"We are capable of backing down."

Harry shook his head.

"Not both of you especially not at the same time."

"Some things aren't worth arguing."

"I've never heard that the countless and I do mean _countless_ other times you are at each others throats."

Ron laughed.

"Give us some credit we have matured somewhat in the last four years."

Harry shook his head again.

"Not enough over the last two weeks to do this surely?"

Hermoine nodded.

"We made an agreement for the sake of our friendships and sanity that we wont be so antagonistic towards each other."

Ginnysniggered.

"Good luck with that, Ron sucks at keeping new years resolutions!"

"Don't be so negative towards Ron we diffused the situation successfully just then didn't we?"

Ron smiled and emphasised his next sentence.

"Thank you for your support Hermoine I appreciate it."

"You are very welcome Ronald."

Ron's smile turned into a grimace as he half whispered to her:

"Can you stop calling me that?"

"It's your name."

"I know it is but I go by Ron and you usually call me Ron anyway."

"It's a bit petty to go on about it isn't it?"

"Not to me it's my name and every time you call me Ronald you remind me of my mother."

Hermoine rolled her eyes.

"Oh thanks."

Ron didn't take too kindly to the sarcasm.

"What's wrong with my mum? She's a saint she is! You should be lucky to be like my mum! It should be a compliment to be called my mum!"

Hermoine snorted.

"But you didn't mean it as a compliment did you so why would I take it in such a way and I have nothing against Molly!"

"I could have."

Hermoine turned on Ginny and Harry.

"He didn't say it in a complimenting manner did he?"

Harry put his hands up in defence.

"Keep me out of this!"

Ginny cautiously replied.

"Now aren't you being a little petty Hermoine?"

"He started it! I don't appreciate being compared to a middle aged woman, as lovely as she, especially considering Ron is scared of her!"

"I am not!"

"Are to!"

"Am not!"

Hermoine shoved Ron, Ron shoved Hermoine and in some rage only before associated with PMS Hermoine pushed him completely over and in some sort of defence he grabbed the back of her sweater and she fell clumsily on top of him.

Ginny saw where this was going and slowly began to back out of the room. Harry unfortunately was not so astute.

Ron just looked scared now.

Hermoine smiled smugly.

"I can see the fear."

He tried to glare at her.

Then she leant down and kissed him.

Ron finally got a peck! Only it wasn't just a peck it was a full out kiss that didn't end despite the shock of both parties and Harry taking Ginny's lead began to disappear into the kitchen whistling innocently to himself.

Hermoine finally got up and straightened her clothes and in an unintentionally business like manner said.

"I think we diffused the situation, good job Ron."

She ran upstairs and Ron was left lying gob smacked and eye to eye with a smug looking Gilderoy Lockhart.

* * *

_  
_Draco hadn't dreaded going to school this much since his first day when he was little. He usually loved going back to school, it was his unofficial home and it was a sanctuary compared to the house his parents sometimes resided in, plus he could have rule of the school and generally be mean and throw his weight around, but not anymore.

No now he'd be hiding from girls like a wuss and trying to pass exams and restraining his sadistic urges. Life sucked.

He was glad Crabbe and Doyle were his 'best mates' because they were too dumb and oblivious to notice the frequency of times Draco ordered them to put some geek's head down the toilet had lessened and their sabotaging, cheating, stealing and other delinquent behaviour had more or less dried up. He guessed Crabbe and Doyle were relieved to be off the leash for a while.

He didn't care if people noticed he'd become one of the nicer guys in the slytherin house (it wasn't saying much) or if people whispered that he had gone soft in his senior years. He could always say he had matured and learnt to rise above it and in some ways it wasn't a lie but they would just laugh, instead if anyone really pestered him (it wasn't likely) he'd just say he was finding new, subtle but equally dangerous methods of destroying his enemies and it didn't involve fist fights and wedgies anymore.

He had kept all of Ginny's letters that she wrote over the holidays and read them anytime he felt less than average, anytime he read her words he could hear her saying them in his head and a surge of happiness rushed through his body for a few seconds. He knew her so well over so little time whereas he had spent months with Jill constantly talking and she still felt like a stranger. Her words went right over his head and when he looked at her he didn't feel nostalgia or promise in his future, she was just another annoying female in his life.

He couldn't go back to ignoring someone he knew inside out but still surprised him, someone who made him a better person and especially not someone he loved.

Love. It was a word that held too many complexities, traps and connotations to be of use to Draco Malfoy, at least it used to. Draco had never been in love, he loved his parents heguessed but he didn't really feel it, it was a dutiful, grateful love to those who paid for his lifestyle and made him but otherwise they were awkward strangers, it was a love he had told himself he felt but didn't actually and it felt hollow to use the word love in that case when it only applied to his head, his heart was completely detached from the equation, it was more of a dependence than anything else.

With Ginny it was the complete opposite, for not only was it a love without selfishness and wasn't twisted or cruel like all the others he had encountered but his heart loved her before his head, his head was reluctant and denied the truth for as long as possible until his heart that had been out of order for a longtime finally came to life and had it's say. He didn't want to use Ginny as some sort of pawn, he didn't want to compete or patronise her or any of the other insincere ways his father 'loved', he didn't even really want to sleep with her (okay that was a lie but he could wait) it wasn't about sex it was finally about love and a connection with someone that was deeper than anything else in his life.

Draco Malfoy was in love. He could imagine his father's face.

* * *

Hermoine felt her face burning and the feeling was horrible, she had rushed upstairs in a blind panic and hid in Ginny's room because it was at the top of the house and furthest away from Ron. She kept remembering what she had done and cringed at the memory, she had kissed her best friend. She didn't kiss Harry or Ginny so why should Ron be so special?

She knew the answer in the back of her head or at least the formation of the truth but it was too suppressed and vague for her to understand, she had a clue as to why but didn't want to admit it. She didn't want things to change afterall.

She only had this year and one more before she left hogwarts and she didn't need to be distracted from her studies by having a boyfriend, least of all Ron. Her, Ron and Harry were the three amigos, three musketeers, the holy trinity (okay maybe too far) but they all loved each other equally as friends and had fought evil several times side by side, that couldn't be jeopardized. What would Harry think and feel? She was sure he'd feel excluded knowing they were part of something else that he wasn't (she doubted he'd want to be anyway). Would he be jealous? She would have felt annoyed if Harry and Ron got together as lubricious as the idea was but the same feelings applied. What did Harry think now? Or Ginny? Did they think she fancied Ron now they saw her kiss him?

She felt tears stinging at the sides of her eyes at such a stupid mistake, she didn't make them often and now she'd be haunted and teased with this one for the rest of her life. What would Ron say? She couldn't bare to contemplate what they all thought of her.

The real question was whether things would simply fall back into place or would it be weird and the dynamic shifted. At least if she stayed up in Ginny's room for ten or so minutes things were more or less up in the air until she was ready to sort everything out.

She felt a tear slide down her cheek and picked up a tissue out of the box and dabbed at it angrily. She was a grown up now she had to be responsible for her actions and not run away to cry like a child. She blew her nose and threw the tissue in the direction of the bin.

She was about to leave when she realised the tissue had missed the bin and fallen behind it in the gap between it and the wall. She rolled her watery eyes and went to fetch it, she doubted Ginny would thank her when she found a snotty tissue stuck to the wall.

She bent down and put it in when she noticed a piece of crumpled parchment underneath it which had obviously missed the bin too.

She picked it up to put in the bin but half out of curiosity and half out of thoughtfulness she decided to read a bit and see if it was actually meant for the bin or maybe something that accidentally landed there after falling off of the bedside table.

It was a letter.

She decided it was probably rubbish but quickly looked at who wrote it and found D.M.

She was ashamed for it later but out of nosiness she read the whole thing trying to better find out the identity of the mysterious D.M as she couldn't think of anyone Ginny knew with those initials.

It was quite an intimate letter and afterwards she felt both guilty and annoyed.

Ginny had obviously been having some sort of secret relationship without telling her about it. She decided to ask her about it later, she had to fix her own relationships before she went around finding out about other peoples'.

* * *

Ginny was in the kitchen doing some washing up and was smiling to herself, finally one of them had stopped being a coward and actually made a move she was just surprised it was Hermoine.

Harry was kicking a soccer ball around just outside obviously in need of the fresh air and an escape from the tension, it was hard for him to be around Ginny for too long without wanting to punch something in frustration or just kiss her then and there, Ron and Hermoine's 'coupling' made his situation even more obvious.

He could just imagine the future with the four of them next Christmas with Ron and Hermoine snogging under the mistletoe and everywhere else leaving Harry and Ginny to twiddle their thumbs awkwardly.

He wondered what Ginny thought of him, was he just a friend she used to have a crush on? A crush she still has but like the one for Lockhart more of a girlie fantasy than an actual prospect? He didn't think knowing the answer would make it any easier either way so he just focussed on the soccer ball and kicked the crap out of it as some sort of therapy.

Ron walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge and took out the pumpkin juice, he sat at the table and looked up the stairs hoping to get a glimpse of Hermoine. Ginny turned and noticed.

"She'll be down when she's ready."

Ron nodded and took a long sip of drink.

"I know it's just she ran off pretty fast."

"Who wouldn't if they had kissed you?"

"Very funny."

"Why don't you go up and see her?"

"What would I say?"

"Do you want to be with her?"

"Like as a girlfriend?"

"Well duh."

"I dunno, I mean it's weird because we are friends."

"No offence Ron but everyone but you two seems to think the opposite."

"Really? Why?"

"Just body language and past history lots of stuff indicate this time would come."

"You think she likes me like that?"

"I can't contemplate how but yes."

Ron let a slight smile cross his lips.

"She's too clever, too organised, too…she's Hermoine! What would she want with me?"

"You're asking the wrong female brother, but they say opposites attract."

Ginny knew from her own experience it was true.

Ron sighed.

"When did everything get so complicated?"

"It's life Ron and considering all the complexities you've dealt with in the past I'm sure you'll get through this one."

"Well maybe if I shake her hand she'll get the idea."

"Ron you're hopeless! Don't you want her?"

"Well, I, whatever I don't want to discuss this with my little sister!"

"That kind of attitude is exactly why Hermoine gets exasperated with you, if you want to change things you have to actually open your mouth and communicate and by the way you'd be lucky to have someone like Hermoine!"

"I know that, that's the problem."

"Huh?"

"Well if we break up or she gets bored with me then where will we be? I'll be gutted and I would have lost my best mate."

"It's a risk you have to take and you've been mates for three years already and she hasn't got bored so I think you're in the clear."

"Thanks."

"No worries just don't go making out while I'm around okay?

Ron cringed.

"Bit ahead of yourself aren't you?"

Ginny winked.

"Not from what I've seen."

* * *

Hermoine sat at the top of the stairs in complete shock. There was two things that sent her head spinning: The first was the fact that she had overheard Ron's complete conversation and the second was that she thought she had figured out who D.M was but both situations seemed so confusing that she didn't want to say anything for fear of being wrong.

Her head was listing and re-listing how wrong Ron was for her and how she was terrible for him, how it would ruin their friendship and how they'd make each other miserable but her heart was thumping so hard with excitement she thought it would physically burst out of her chest, roll down the stairs and lay out in the corridor as a gruesome acceptance of their change in relationship for Ron to see.

She rubbed her sweaty palms together and walked down the stairs, Ginny saw her coming and promptly left to play soccer with Harry (she was still rubbish at the mugglesportbut Harry didn't mind).

She quietly sat at the table next to him.

He immediately got up and walked over to the stove clanging pots about in the cupboard.

"Do you want a hot chocolate?"

He wouldn't look at her but Hermoine smiled knowing he was making it especially for her considering hot chocolate wasn't a common drink in the wizarding world. It was a rather plain but familiar drink to Hermoine among the other varieties of exciting more popular beverages she was offered.

"Yes please."

He poured the milk into the pot that was heating on the stove.

"Think it will rain tomorrow?"

"What did the paper say?"

"Clear."

Hermoine laughed.

"You think they are trying to deceive you?"

"No but you know what these weather wizards are like, can't trust them really and I know from past experience when they say clear it is anything but."

"What makes you think I would have a right answer?"

"You usually do."

She felt herself blush.

"Go with your instincts Ron they are pretty good."

"I don't want to be disappointed though."

It was more of a general statement about his fears between them than to do with the weather and he knew Hermoine was sharp enough to pick up on it.

She nodded not sure how to reply.

"Prepare for snow and you'll be happy with rain."

Ron wasn't sure what meanings if any to pick from her logic so he kept quiet.

"Looking forward to going back to school?"

Ron snickered.

"As much as I do a toothache, you?" He already knew the answer.

She beamed, finally in her element.

"Oh definitely the curriculum is so interesting this year and you can be more independent in your studies which I relish and there is a scholarship I'm working towards that lets you travel to Roswell for a month all fees paid."

"Roswell, New mexico?"

"Yeah."

"That's where the alien hoax is why would you go there?"

"Well you get to dig up fossils and look at cave drawings done by ancient wizards that the muggle public would never be able to see, aliens were only a cover up by the ministry, it was actually wizards that crash landed in the 50s in truly bad outfits that I guess were a bit alien anyway but they were also there studying ancient wizard settlements. It's really fascinating."

Ron tried to seemfascinated as Hermoine the muggle born of the two dished up ancient history he never even knew existed nor really cared about but he loved the way Hermoine glowed and smiled when she was talking about something she was passionate about.

"When is the scholarship?"

"After Hogwarts in a year and a bit."

"And you're studying up now? That shouldn't really surprise me."

"About earlier Ron…sorry."

"Don't be it was…nice."

Ron groanedat how lame he sounded.

"I thought so too I just didn't expect to ambush you like that."

Ron's eyes twinkled.

"Feel free to ambush me anytime you like."

Hermoine giggled and drank her hot chocolate that was given to her.

"So are we still friends?"

Ron grinned.

"Something like that."

"Good."

Hermoine wasn't entirely satisfied but incredibly relieved and happy it was over and done with and the crisis had passed.

Now to interrogate Ginny.

She could hear her giggling in the garden while Harry chased her around,Hermoine didn't know whether she had mistaken rugby and soccer or what but she was running full speed around the lawn with the ball clutched protectively to her chest. She saw Hermoine andstopped briefly and waved which unfortunately Harry who was hot on her heels didn't anticipate and barrelled into her at full speed knocking them both to the ground ungracefully.

"Wanna play Hermoine?"

Hermoine shook her head.

There were already too many games being played, too many balls in the air reading to drop at anytime. Besides Hermoine was definitely a trivia quiz sorta girl.

* * *

Hoped you liked and the next one should be up in a week or so!


	7. Reuniting

Okay it has been forever I know but I got writers block a while back and so wrote other stuff to hopefully change that but then I ended up getting too involved with those stories and exam prep etc and almost forgot about this story completely but then inspiration randomly came back during my geography exam (go figure) so I'm back to continue and finish this story although I don't know how often I can update but I'll let you know.

* * *

This was the third time she had kissed him and it was even better than the first, it was weird because the first time no feelings above indifference were felt and it was amazing and now that she felt so much more she couldn't describe it..except to say it was deep.

His tongue reached down into her mouth, down into the bottom of her stomach and into her soul warming her.

The only way she could describe it metaphorically was like the climax of the opera classic _Nessun Dorma _which Hermoine had lovingly played to her once, or the climax of any song really where the emotion, the tension and then the release came all at once.

Ginny was making out with Draco Malfoy. She said it to herself over and over as he worked his magic again. It was dirty behind the Hogwarts potting sheds, but it was privacy so she didn't care and something about it felt so pure that it hurt.

She loved someone and he loved her back. Life was crazy and beautiful.

He stopped for a moment to smile at her, to drink her in with a look that made her knees weak.

"I told you."

"Told me what?"

"That I'd have my way with you eventually."

Ginny smiled.

"I'm calling the shots here buddy so I wouldn't be planning anything ambitious anytime soon if I were you."

Draco sighed but didn't really mind.

"You're alright you know that?"

Ginny rolled her eyes.

"Is that some form of obscure compliment?"

"I love you."

He blurted it out so unexpectedly that if Ginny had been gulping down anything but euphoric bliss she would have spluttered it all over him.

"Do you mean it?"

He stroked her hair back behind her ear.

"I wouldn't say it if I didn't."

Ginny grinned, she didn't think her mouth could stretch so wide.

"I love you too."

Draco let a satisfied smile slip across his features: his lips and his eyes.

It was amazing how easy it was in the end to sort everything out and surprisingly how rapidly they made up for lost time and the two lonely months they were apart. They has suffered needlessly but it made their reunion even sweeter.

* * *

The day Hermoine discovered Draco's letter was the day Ginny lost ten years of her life, she felt like she was having a heart attack when Hermoine pulled her discreetly to the side and brandished the parchment accusingly. Everything around her went silent and she could see Hermoine mouthing words slowly but she couldn't understand, all she could hear was the blood pumping past her ears and around the rest of her body at lighting speed. 

This was when she thought she was discovered, when she thought she had lost everyone around her for some stupid letters she wrote to a boy who didn't even want to be her friend. At least that's what she thought.

Nothing could have helped Ginny at that moment other than her reflexes and gift with words. The funny thing was she maybe would have told Hermoine about her and Draco and find some sort of ally in her, she was reasonable after all and was a girl so she hoped it would be okay but then she remembered the change between her and Ron and how her loyalty would always (and especially now) be to him.

So she turned the tables on Hermoine and accused her right back.

"What were you doing filing through my trash? That's a violation of my privacy in my own home, how could you?"

Hermoine swallowed and immediately dropped the harsh tone.

"It was an accident I was throwing a tissue in the bin and found it lying behind it."

Ginny laughed bitterly.

"So you felt it was your right to read every word of my personal correspondence? Who do you think you are?"

"I'm sorry okay? I really am it was rude and nosy of me and I am under no allusions that what I did wasn't wrong and -"

"-Despicable?"

"Yes that too but just tell me the truth, are you writing to Draco Malfoy?"

Hearing Hermoine spit out his name is such a disgusted tone made her want to slap her but she realised not everyone else was in love with him and knew him like she did.

"No."

Hermoine raised an eyebrow.

"Then who is D.M and why didn't they just write their name?"

"D.M is Dylan Mercer he's a year below us in Ravenclaw, we met at the book shop before school started and I had recommended a book to him and we just started talking and one thing led to another and why I have to justify who I talk with to you I don't know!"

"And that's the truth?"

"You don't believe me?"

"I want to but for the sake of my unhealthy paranoia just say it's the truth I need to hear it from you."

Ginny felt her insides churning making her feel sick with betrayal, it was a complete lie but the truth would have hurt too much.

"It is."

Hermoine relaxed.

"Okay well I am sorry again for being a horrible friend but I just worry about you."

"I know and that makes you a bloody good friend but pick through my trash again and I wont be feeling so forgiving."

"Understood."

Ginny nodded uncertainly.

"Do you wanna play football?"

Hermoine smiled.

"Is that what you call what you were playing?"

Ginny glared.

"It's one thing to violate my privacy, invade my room and then accuse me of a dreadful act but mock my skill at football and I don't think we can be friends anymore."

Hermoine's face dropped and Ginny quickly giggled to show her it was a joke.

Hermoine hugged Ginny.

"Thanks for putting up with me."

Ginny tapped her head patronisingly.

"What can I say? I'm a glutton for punishment."

* * *

Present 

Ginny looked at the time and groaned.

"I have herbology."

Draco threw his head back and sighed.

"When?"

"About five minutes ago."

"So?"

Ginny smiled.

"So I'd actually like to pass my OWLS!"

"When can I see you?"

She kissed him quickly and extracted herself from his grasp, it was surprisingly strong as if he was scared she'd slip away forever.

"You'll just have to wait and see."

She patted the dirt off her robes and ran to the next class.

Draco had a study period and wasn't keen on going back to the common room now that Jill was basically exiled and Pansy all over him like a rash again.

He went to sit under their fated willow tree and read his book instead.

* * *

Flashback

Draco had avoided seeing Ginny and by some miracle Jill all day the first day back after the Christmas holidays when he happened to see bright red hair coming around the corner. His heart skipped a beat but slowed when he realised Ron and Dean were pacing fast towards him obviously late for their classes.

Ron saw him and gave him a cautious glare as if both scared and angry with him.

Draco moved in front of him as if to talk but realised he really had nothing to say, he just wanted to inquire about Ginny but realised Ron was definitely not the right person to ask.

Dean saw an upcoming confrontation and mumbled a cowardly goodbye before shuffling with his head down past them.

Ron stared straight at Draco.

"What is it Malfoy? A dig about my robes? A jest about my family? Bring it on!"

"I just wanted to know how Ginny was."

His tone was reluctant but Ron almost choked on his own saliva at the question.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me Weasley."

"You leave my sister alone, call me names I don't care but come after Ginny and you'll be sorry!"

Draco let out an exasperated sigh at how much of an asshole he must have been to garner such suspicion and hatred at such a simple question.

"I don't want to harm her I just wanted to see if she is okay."

"Yeah right!"

Draco glared.

"What do you think I could possibly gain but humiliation for conversing with you? Just say if she is either okay or not it's not that hard, even for you."

Ron was silent for a long time even though he was already late for class, he was trying to stand in Draco's shoes and find some sort of angle or some sort of way Draco could benefit or hurt his sister from such a seemingly innocent answer. He found none.

"She's fine."

Draco smiled slightly and Ron thought he may have saw a genuine person under it but he dismissed the idea as quickly as he thought it.

"Thanks."

"Um no problem."

Ron walked past him sideways and then backed away as if sure he'd be egged from behind or a 'kick me' piece of parchment would be attached to his robes. He was trying to judge Draco's expression but it wasn't smug or malicious like it always had been, it was strangely different but you could never be sure with Malfoy.

Draco had Potions class next but he decided to skip it to see Pansy who had a study period and would be in the common room, he knew Snape would have a coronary at his absence this late in the year but he had more pressing matters to attend to and he knew his father's influence over his grumpy professor would get him off every time.

He had to take command again, he was sick of feeling like a fugitive in his own ruddy school and as a Malfoy he wouldn't stand for it any longer but if he learnt anything from Jill in the few torturous months he had spent with her it was that subtly is the key.

He sauntered to the common room and Pansy's head shot up at his entrance as though she knew those were the footsteps of the great Draco Malfoy.

"Hey Draco."

"Good morning Pansy, how's homework progressing?"

He didn't know why he always took a superior tone with her, he guessed it was because he wanted her to feel small when in fact, he was the diminished one having to ask Pansy for help.

"Oh you know how it is with potions, one step forward, two steps back."

Draco nodded pretending to care.

"Pansy we're good friends right?"

Pansy smiled.

"Always, I will forever be your devoted, loyal -"

"- Whatever, so as my friend if I had a problem would you be my sympathetic ear and tell no one else?"

Pansy had never had this from Draco before and put her hands on his bent knees in the chair opposite her for support.

He looked at his lap like something had stained him but tried to ignore them.

"Okay well me and Jill clearly aren't working out."

"Clearly, I knew that from the start."

"Well she sort of has me between a rock and a hard place."

Pansy screwed up her face.

"A hard place? Like another rock?"

Draco rolled his eyes but forced a smile.

"It's a saying."

"Ohh..for what?"

"I want to dump her but she says if I do in revenge she will spread a particularly nasty rumour that I would rather go bankrupt than have revealed."

Pansy gasped.

"It must be really serious then!"

"See I would have dumped her ages ago that's why I hurt you only because she would have hurt me otherwise."

"Of course, I completely understand I knew we were meant for -"

"- Anyway this rumour is about me and Ginny Weasley a.k.a the scum attached to that oaf Potter's shoes and that we kissed."

"Oh my god that's preposterous it's like sayinghe-who-must-not-be-named kissed..a mudblood."

"Um exactly and it was all based on seeing us together outside the library like you did, except she just saw us and didn't hear the accurate explanation about me criticizing her that you did."

"What a stupid-"

"- So can you help?"

"Anything for you Draky."

"Good, I need you to socially exclude Jill by planting counter rumours about her - something like she made it all up because of an obsessive interest in me, or it's her whose dating a ravenclaw and was covering for herself I don't know, anything. I know you have influence and when I spread the same thing to back up your claim we'll be invincible."

"We'll be like Bonnie and Clyde!"

"Who are they?"

"I don't know but I overheard a mudblood talking about them they are like romeo and -"

"-Okay well tell everyone to keep quiet under pain of wedgiesor something equally embarassingso that when I publicly drop her for everyone's amusement they will all know the lies she spreads are just that, lies. Everyone will know she's obsessed with me and did it for revenge."

Pansy licked her lips at the idea of her backstabbing best friend getting what was coming to her and having Draco back on the market.

"You're so sexy when you plot to cause other people suffering."

Draco's face dropped.

"It's what I'm good at."

* * *

Ginny sat on her four poster bed and read the latest _Witch 17_. She remembered it was her birthday present from her mother when she was thirteen that she had the subscription to the magazine as a guide to her teenage years. Her mother had rather tearfully told her that since she couldn't be around to help her all the time (to which Ginny was thankful) and that adolescence was a trying period of lifeshe thoughtthat _Witch 17 _could be her back up. 

Molly Weasley obviously hadn't read an issue or if she had she would have burnt it let alone voluntarily given it to her only daughter. Ginny had cut off the subscription only recently because she realised what garbage it really was.

It told you how to get a young wizard, how to physically please him, keep him interested and attentive but nothing about your own happiness unless it involved dieting and make up. They categorized all men as the same and considering Ginny liked Draco who was definitely unique none of their 'advice' did anything but irritate her and try to persuade her that all relationships are as shallow as they make out.

Michelle came up the stairs to change her shoes before dinner.

"Are you okay?"

Ginny looked up.

"Yeah why? Do I look sick?"

"No of course not you've just been such a hermit since you returned to schoolI thought something might be up."

Ginny smiled gratefully.

"Thanks for asking but I'm fine really."

"It just seems like you're trying to avoid someone that's all."

"Sorry to give that impression but my life really isn't that complicated."

Michelle smiled almost knowingly.

"So you keep emphasising."

Ginny laughed.

"Do you want to read to read _Witch 17 _when I'm done?"

"Nah the only reading I'll be doing for the rest of this year is from text books otherwise I'll be reading big fat Fs on all my assignments."

"Well if you need any help I'll be up here."

"Thanks, so I suppose you've been out of the loop gossip wise since you've been busy not- hiding?"

"I'm getting some sort of withdrawal."

Michelle grinned, always happy to be the spreader of juicy rumours and hearsay. She sat on Ginny's bed and took a deep breath.

"Draco andJill had a huge public break up earlier in their common room."

Ginny felt her insides squirm and suddenly wanted to fist the air but restrained herself, she put on her calmly interested face instead.

"How do you know?"

Michelle rolled her eyes.

"Please, it's Draco after all, it's spread like wild fire since it happened."

"What happened?"

"Well I don't know everything yet but apparently she threatened to release some rather damaging information about him to everyone and he just smirked and Pansy told her with some venom apparently that she was a desperate schemer who no one would believe and apparently no one did when she told them."

Ginny felt herself begin to sweat.

"Didn't you find out what the damaging information was?"

"I will when I go down for dinner but I came up here to tell you what I knew so far."

Ginny laid a comforting hand on her shoulder and exhaled.

"You're a good friend."

"Tell me something I don't know."

Then suddenly three more gryffindor girls in her year burst through the door red faced looking like they had just won _Merlin's Lottery. _

"GOOD HEAVENS YOU WILL NOT BELIEVE!-"

"IT'S SO WEIRD GIN YOU'RE FAMOUS-"

"SO LUCKY!-"

They were all talking at once practically tripping over each other to get to her side.

Ginny had a sinking feeling in her stomach as Ron's disappointed face crept into her mind.

"What's going on?"

Michelle frowned.

"Stop speaking and start over again ONE at a time."

They nodded furiously and Amy began.

"The whole rumour was about Draco and you Ginny!"

Michelle laughed and turned to Ginny as she asked:

"What about me?"

"She made up that she saw you and Draco snogging on one of the beds at Padma and Pavati's birthday party! How weird is that?"

Ginny felt herself blushing.

"That's stupid but Ron is going to have a fit if he finds out he'll think it's Draco's fault."

Amy shook her head.

"He already knows but he's annoyed at Jill not Draco as everyone knows she made up the lie but cool huh?"

Ginny rolled her eyes.

"How is it cool?"

"It must mean you're popular to be part of the rumour, the whole of gryffindor hasn't stop buzzing about it in the great hall!"

"Oh right well I got in a bit of a fight withJill yesterday so it was probably her revenge."

Michelle smiled slyly at Ginny's lie.

"I wish I could pick fights with Jill."

"Why?"

"YOU GET POPULAR! Almost everyone knows your name now if not your face yet you realise."

Ginny was glad she was in her room.

"Just what I need."

Amy lay a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry you know Hogwarts it will blow over in a few days when a new scandal starts, I personally hope it's about Pansy she's so glamorous."

Ginny scoffed, who needed _Witch 17 _when she had all the teenage angst, drama and celebrity gossip right here in her own dorm.

Michelle shooed them all out of the dorm and faced Ginny seriously.

"It is a lie right?"

Ginny burst out laughing, Michelle assumed it was amused laughter at such a ridiculous question but it was more hysteria on Ginny's part.

"No of course not when would I even have seen Draco? Some people need more homework to occupy their time."

Michelle looked worried.

"Don't jinx it I'm snowed under as it is. Don't worry Jill is just pissed she got dumped and is lashing out no one believes a word that loon says."

"Is she okay?"

Michelle's eyes almost doubled in size.

"What? Why do you care?"

"Well I dunno it's just it must have been embarrassing for her."

"Yeah well it's her fault for making up malicious rumours isn't it? You're too nice for your own good Ginny, everyone hates her now anyway."

"Even Pansy?"

"Especially Pansy."

Ginny felt slightly bad that the one time Jill was telling the truth (she felt sick at the idea she saw them) everyone rallied against her.

"Okay well I may skip dinner now."

"You can't if you hide away people will think you are guilty, just face it."

Ginny nodded.

"You're right, I'll see you down there."

Michelle giggled.

"There's no way I'm letting you face the masses alone I'll come with you."

Ginny wanted to hug Michelle but she already had a rumour about her getting it on with Draco the last thing she needed was one spreading about her trying it on with Michelle.

"Did I mention that you're my best friend?"

Michelle grinned.

"Nope but ditto."

So dinner was better than she had anticipated, she didn't look in Draco's direction at all but could feel the unified death stares of the entire slytherin house. Ron more or less stayed out of it once he was convinced the rumour was nothing to do with Draco and Harry was in a bad mood the whole time but said little either.

The whole of her house was questioning her but Michelle fought them off verbally by saying it was all lies at the top of her lungs until people gave up trying to talk over her and ate. Ginny's imagination had Michelle and her invisible sword lunging and parrying around various questions and insults and shielding them from her with the swish of her sword.

At the end of dinner Professor McGonagall came over, her long velvet robes sweeping the floor behind her. Ginny didn't notice her behind her until she coughed politely.

"Miss Weasley."

Ginny turned around slightly embarrassed as the entire table feel silent.

"The headmaster would like to see you in his office in an hour."

Ginny nodded, too frightened to speak. She had never been on friendly terms with Dumbledore like Harry and Ron, it was a strictly student-headmaster relationship and she respected his authority too much for it to be anything else. Friendship required people be more or less equal and she did not know anyone who was equal or superior to him. She admired him but had never really found her tongue with him before and had never been alone with him before properly either.

"You'll need this Ginny."

Minerva's voice softened and handed Ginny a small piece of parchment and patted her on the shoulder before leaving, she didn't feel very comforted though.

Orange Jelly Sponge Cake

She had been up to Dumbledore's office enough howeverto know what the bizarre words were for and she quickly shoved it into her robes.

Michelle looked at her worriedly but gave her her best reassuring smile.

"It's probably nothing."

Ginny had lost her appetite.

* * *

An hour later and she bravely marched herself down the corridor outside Dumbledore's eagle staircase, Draco was also waiting there. 

She stopped in her tracks but he turned and saw her so it was too late to run back.

"What are you doing here?"

Ginny's voice was scolding.

"Waiting for you."

"Why?"

"You have the password."

"Don't you?"

Draco rolled his eyes.

"Your ruddy professor didn't trust me with it so she asked me to wait for you."

Ginny laughed.

"Can you blame her?"

"Whatever just open the darn thing."

He was thrilled to see her, she smelled the same too but he was too annoyed at being summoned to see Dumbledore that he couldn't be nice or if he tried even charming.

Ginny felt stupid and self conscious saying Orange Jelly Sponge Cake in front of Draco but he didn't laugh or tease he just stood in silence which didn't really make her feel any better although she reasoned it didn't make her feel any worse either.

Dumbledore was standing bent over a book in what Ginny thought was an unusual and awkward way to read something when he had an expensive looking seat an inch from him.

Dumbledore smiled at them both warmly and Ginny felt herself ease, she forgot how he could instill a strong sense of faith and hope in someone with such a simple act of a smile.

"Good evening I hope I didn't put either of you out by asking you to come here."

"No we're fine."

Malfoy grumbled:

"Speak for yourself."

Dumbledore offered them both seats and sat himself.

"I don't want to take you away from time to do assignments when I know things tend to pile up this time of year, I remember myself becoming rather anxious in January when I was at school but that was about a young lady and many moons ago so it is rather irrelevant I should think."

He laughed jovially at his private memory.

Dumbledore didn't know how dead right he was, or maybe he did Draco didn't know but either way his words resonated meaningfully around the room.

"Anyway you're probably wondering why you are here."

Draco scoffed.

"Not really it doesn't take a genius to put two and two together."

Dumbledore smiled again and Ginny wanted to hit Malfoy for being so rude but she gave him a vicious look that she felt conveyed her feelings well and Draco soon changed his tune.

"Indeed it does not so lets get straight to the messy matter at hand but I must say it is not very often I have to deal with such -"

He pushed his spectacles slightly up his nose almost nervously.

"-delicate matters so this should be a most interesting exchange."

Draco wanted to roll his eyes but he kept them firmly fixed on his shoes, he made a mental note to have Crabbe shine them later.

"Headmaster I'm sorry you got dragged into this -"

"Dispense with the formalities my dear no one is in any trouble and don't be sorry I like a little social experiment from time to time."

They both wondered what he was talking about but Ginny assumed it was something too clever for them to understand.

"Word has reached me of a dispute going on in Slytherin Draco, and it is most surprising and disappointing that it mainly concerns our seniors and as you can guess will not set a good example for your younger peers."

"I know."

"But it is no longer a dispute but seems to have caused an actual rift not only in your own house but in Miss Weasley's too, I imagine as well as being the topic of interest for almost everyone in the school including some of the teachers."

Ginny looked down hopefully as if a black hole would appear at her feet and suck her in but she spoke when there was no suck luck.

"The teachers are talking? This is so embarrassing."

Dumbledore passed her a handful of jelly beans as if trying to appease a five year old but it did the trick.

"Don't be dismayed they were not aware of the content of the rumours but are more concerned over the affect it has had in their classes today and this is why I have called this meeting in order to rectify the situation that has made staff conferences much less fun for me and I am sure classes much less fun for you."

Draco felt the honourable thing to do was to confess although he hadn't had enough experience with nobility to be quite sure.

"Look sir Jill -"

Dumbledore raised his hand to quiet him as he sucked appreciatively on a jelly bean.

"Whether this rumour has any basis in the land of fact or fiction is not important I just wish to know how it got out of hand and who else it involves."

So Draco told the truth for once, he knew Dumbeldore distrusted him and he didn't blame him so maybe it was a combination of wanting to prove he was more than his father's son and finally getting everything out in the open but he told their story (briefly and not including the kiss) and his surprise suffering Ginny just found out about and his defence of the situation involving the rumour.

Ginny sat in stunned silence as he stopped and started, swallowed and spoke never looking at Ginny or Dumbledore but instead took particular interest in the colourful assortment of jelly beans in front of him.

Dumbledore let him speak and nodded with his hands together on the desk encouragingly. When he finished there was a tense silence.

"I see thank you for trusting me with this information I can promise it will not go any further."

"Thanks."

And for once Draco believed him.

"Well I emphasis with your plight, I have read _Romeo and Juliet _after all and understand your need for secrecy as I am also aware of your sincerity in this tale both to each other and friends involved but we can not have a student excluded from her friends no matter how misguided her actions have been."

Ginny nodded.

"He's right."

Draco sighed.

"But I can't undo anything, everything I did had to be done and she was never really liked in the first place so now it's just impossible to redeem her."

Dumbledore shook his head lightly.

"The complexities of teenager's actions still puzzle me but I wouldn't still be here I suppose if I had figured you all out."

Ginny looked sideways at Draco, he cared about her and everything he had done made her want him even more but she wasn't going to start anything in Dumbledore's office that was for sure so she fixed her attention back on Dumbledore.

"Have you talked to Jill about everything?"

"No not yet I wanted to hear your sides of the story and gauge from Draco whether it is possible to somehow re-sociaise Jill back into slytherin and get over all this fuss but obviously this is not likely so I will talk to Jill and see what she wants to do and has to say, and Ijust ask that you don't add any more fuel to the fire and encourage everyone to carry on with their lives despite this exciting event so that my teachers will start smiling again and wont have to give you all detentions tomorrow what do you say?"

"Sound's perfect."

"Definitely feasible."

"Good, I'll see you again tomorrow morning if you don't mind and let you know what will happen and tomorrow my password will be _multicoloured sherbert_ and expect you both here ten minutes before class."

"Thanks sir."

Draco smiled at Dumbledore and left with Ginny not far behind him. The new Draco felt a surge of acceptance that made him want to be better. Dumbledore wasn't all bad after all despite his father's ravings.

Ginny stood two steps up from Draco as the staircase spiralled downward to the entrance, she was glad there was a rumbling noise otherwise it would have been another awkward silence, she just didn't know what to say or how to express what she felt especially after he had done so articulately to Dumbledore. It wasn't like he had told Dumbledore he was in love with her but his actions over the past few months spoke louder than words.

He stepped out and walked slowly away.

"Draco wait!"

He turned and looked incredibly embarrassed.

"You don't need to thank me okay it's what mates do right? We'll just leave it at -"

She had walked up to him while he was talking more to himself than anyone else and kissed him lightly on the lips. He automatically held her face and continued it. Ginny broke it off because she was laughing.

Draco frowned.

"What's so funny?"

Ginny put her arms around his neck and hugged him leaving her perfume clinging to his robes.

"It's just everything, how we got to this and how much I love you."

The last bit was what she assumed was staying as a thought in her head but toppled out of her mouth into a breathy few words that changed everything.

They kissed again and everything as they say was history. Except the kissing of course, that continued and increased in frequency as the days passed.

Ginny didn't mark time by her watch or dates anymore merely by how long she was apart from Draco.

She got up early in the morning and met him in a deserted corridor for some vertical making out against suits of armour or sleeping pictures or classroom doors, they tended to move blindly around the place too engrossed in each other to notice if a bomb had gone off let alone if they were about to fall down a stairwell or be discovered. In fact the thought of being discovered seemed to increase the urgency and passion in which they kissed each other.

Then there was lunch time where they'd sneak off into bushes at the end of the grounds and sit eating there like a picnic before rolling around in the grass together with their hands in each other's hair (well Ginny's anyway Draco's was sort of hard to grab) and his hands moving to places she didn't think she'd ever let him touch and her own seemed bewitched as they stroked and teased him.

They didn't get much time together in the evenings but they tended to resort to quiet kisses in unoccupied library aisles, Ginny pinned up against a pile of books as he kissed down her neckline or she dove her tongue inside his mouth.

It was the definition of passion in her opinion but she didn't know if he felt love. That was until the potting shed incident where she was so desperate to see him she skipped a class and was late to another just to have her feel his hands on her. That was when she knew it was more than just fooling around for him as well as for her.

* * *

Things hadn't just heated up for Ginny Weasley either, Ron was finding it increasingly difficult to resist flirting with Hermoine. 

Harry wanted to slap them both over the head with a very large book and tell them to face the facts that if they didn't get together soon they'd both implode with tension.

At first they'd just fight and end up giggling about it afterwards but then it would be thinly veiled compliments about Hermoine's hair or her intellect or anything else Ron could say to induce her smile that made him want to leap up the library shelves.

He didn't want to hide it anymore as he was rubbish at it in the first place and they all knew how they both felt about each other. It was just the case ofone of them re-addressing the issue.

Hermoine was sitting in the common room doing her potions homework when Ron came in and asked her out.

"Have you seen Ginny lately?"

Hermoine shook her head.

"She's rarely around anymore I think she's studying hard but doesn't want anyone to know."

"Okay I was just checking."

Hermoine smiled.

"Your concern for her is touching."

"It's not concern really it's more curiosity."

"You can't lie to me Ron."

Ron laughed.

"Maybe I can't."

He stood on the spot and stared at the ceiling awkwardly for a moment.

"So you and me, how about it?"

Hermoine frowned.

"How about what?"

Ron rolled his eyes.

"Don't be daft you know what I mean."

Hermoine's eyes widened in surprise.

"Oh that I understand now."

Ron didn't think this was going very well.

"So?"

"Are you asking me to be your girlfriend?"

Ron flinched for some reason when she said it.

"Well yeah."

"Okay."

"Okay?"

"That's what I said."

"Good."

"Good."

Ron grinned and bent down to kiss her on the lips before going to find Harry.

It wasn't exactly a shock when Ron finally told him and he shook his head and congratulated him as they both knew it wasn't just a high school crush, this was a real relationship.

Love was in the air for everyone it seemed but Harry. He knew he wanted Ginny and he knew he was being a coward like Ron used to be but he had convinced himself it was the right thing to do.

The summer ball would be fast approaching so he guessed he could always ask her to that as some sort of consolation but he was worried he would start something he couldn't continue.

* * *

Flashback 

The morning after Draco and Ginny had seen Dumbledore they were in his office again. This time it was more relaxed and Ginny couldn't stop smiling. She was happy and she couldn't seem to stop showing it.

"Good morning to you both I trust you slept well?"

They both nodded.

"Yes thankyou."

"Good well I wont keep you long I know you have classes but just so you know Jill plans to leave Hogwarts at the end of the week."

Ginny sighed.

"Is that really neccessary?"

"It's what Jill wants and I don't want to keep her here against her will. Don't feel responsible these things happen."

That didn't make Ginny feel any better.

"Okay you two havea good day."

They both left silently but took each others hands once they were out of Dumbledore's sight, no matter what happened from then on they'd always have each other

* * *

A/N: So this is extra long to make up for lost time but I can't promise an update this week or next week but I will definitely be writing in that time so it wont be too far off! 

Thanks for your patience


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